Is Jurgen Klopp really done with management? Real Madrid will let us know

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Jurgen Klopp's decision to trade the touchline for an office at Red Bull Soccer HQ was always designed to be a move to take him out of the limelight after giving everything to Liverpool for almost nine years.

The former Anfield kingpin explained he was "running out of energy" in his heartfelt farewell announcement, implying he was much in need of a break from the relentless cut and thrust of Premier League management.

Just shy of two years on from that statement, Klopp found himself back in the eye of the storm on Monday night when news of Xabi Alonso's abrupt departure from Real Madrid broke while he was working as a pundit on German television.

Understandably, Klopp's colleague on ServusTV immediately took the opportunity to grill a man whose name has, ironically, become even more synonymous with elite clubs looking for a new manager since calling it quits as a coach; particularly Real Madrid.

Klopp's straight bat response appeared to be a move to distance himself from the role, sticking with the status quo. The party line that has been wheeled out over the past 12 months, is that the German is not interested in management jobs.

And yet mere hours later, Sky Germany claimed that Klopp would 'seriously consider' taking the Bernabeu vacancy if Real Madrid do come calling in the summer. And quite frankly, who can blame him?

After all, Klopp himself all but hinted that he hasn't quite shut the door on management. Speaking on the Diary of a CEO podcast, he said: "I said I will never coach a different team in England. So that means if [Klopp returns] it's Liverpool.

"So yeah, theoretically it's possible. I love what I do right now, I don't miss coaching. I don't. I mean I do coach, just different, not players. And I don't miss it."

Not everyone took his words as gospel, but the majority now believe that there is at least a chance the decorated former Borussia Dortmund chief feels he has one more job in him.

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And while a second act at Liverpool, where he will forever be idolised by the Kop, may seem unlikely right now, it's not exactly hard to imagine Klopp once again prowling the touchline tracksuited up rather than in a cushty office somewhere.

When you then factor in the lure of the Real Madrid job is unmatched in club football and it was outlined previously that it would be one of the very few roles which may be enough to convince Klopp back to management, things start to get interesting.

Given Klopp's age and his current role, this would very likely represent his final opportunity to get back in the game, so to speak.

After all, as impressive as his CV is, nobody can dine out on past glories forever and the next crop of coaches are already prominent. Time waits for nobody and soon Klopp will be seen as yesterday's man.

Really, the days of Klopp being mooted for top jobs should already be on the wane given he's suggested he has moved on to the next phase of his career. Eventually that will come to pass.

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So if there's even a small part of Klopp that yearns for the chance to coach Real Madrid - even in their current less than ideal state - then it's worth exploring. And interest from Los Blancos would surely flush that out.

2026 is only a few weeks old and we've already seen some significant - and surprising - managerial changes in the football world. More big changes are surely coming before the summer; an unexpected Klopp comeback tale already wouldn't look out of place.

So yes, Klopp might well be very content in the confines of the executive world. As has been stressed before.

But when you take everything into account, could he actually say no if it's Real Madrid, rather than his friends, blowing his phone up in the coming months?

Only Klopp knows the answer to that. If he says no this time, though, surely that's it for one of Liverpool's all-time greats.

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