Real Madrid presidential candidate speaks out on links to Jurgen Klopp
Below is a summary of the full article. Click here for the full version from Liverpool.com or go back to LFC Live.
Real Madrid presidential candidate Enrique Riquelme speaks out on the club's links to Jurgen Klopp, though the former has remained mum on if the Spanish side will approach the former Liverpool coachJurgen Klopp continues to be one of the more sought-after managers in football(Image: Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)Enrique Riquelme has neither confirmed nor denied if Real Madrid is linked to Jurgen Klopp.Riquelme, a presidential candidate of Madrid, is looking to win the presidency over long-time boss Florentino Perez, with the two set to battle in 2028. Meanwhile, Klopp has remained away from coaching since leaving Liverpool at the end of the 2023-24 season and remains a prime coaching candidate.With Real Madrid in a state of flux and needing a leader, Riquelme is hoping to bring a new voice to the club, though he did not specify if the former Reds boss is the person for the job.In an interview with The Athletic, Riquelme noted that he is not delving into details about who he would like to coach if he wins Real Madrid's presidency.
"Naturally, I would love for profiles of that calibre, and others like them, to coach this club."When pressed specifically on whether the German coach could be an option for Real Madrid in the future, Riquelme kept his cards close to his chest.Enrique Riquelme did not delve into specifics regarding Jurgen Klopp(Image: Photo By Oscar J. We will see in the coming days."As for whether Mourinho will be his coach if he wins the presidency over Perez, the 37-year-old did not confirm or deny if the 63-year-old would be his leader of choice for the club."I cannot comment on someone when I do not even know whether he is actually involved or not [with Perez]," Riquelme said regarding his potential sporting plans.
"Of course, everything that has been achieved so far deserves recognition, but our proposal is about building a project for the short, medium, and long term under a different model of professionalization and modernization."Who Riquelme believes is the right person for Madrid could be Klopp, though the 58-year-old has shot down any talk of a coaching return."If Real Madrid had phoned, we would have heard about it by now," Klopp said, according to BBC Sport."But that's all nonsense. Right now I'm not thinking about that, luckily there's no reason to."For my age I'm quite advanced in life, but as a coach I'm not completely finished.