Man City Interest in Jurgen Klopp Could Mean End of Pep Guardiola Chase

News that Borussia Dortmund manager Jurgen Klopp is set to leave the German side at the end of the season, as reported by Sky Sports on Wednesday, has put clubs across Europe on red alert.

Klopp’s deal with Dortmund was due to run until the summer of 2018, but the 47-year-old asked to leave early, a request accepted by the club’s board.

Two Bundesliga titles and a Champions League final appearance during his seven-year stint at the club have seen Klopp establish himself as an elite manager; however, a poor season this time out has somewhat soured his legacy.

Dortmund were bottom of the table in February and remain 37 points adrift of the leaders, Bayern Munich.

Efrem Lukatsky/Associated Press

Many are now expecting him to move to the Premier League, with Manchester City a possible destination. Manuel Pellegrini is under pressure after a run of six defeats in eights games, and it would hardly be a surprise if he was replaced in the summer, if not before. Klopp, one of the few available managers with the profile City desire, would surely be in contention to succeed the Chilean.

However, with Pep Giardiola widely seen as the club’s first-choice target to become the next long-term City manager, Klopp’s arrival would scupper their chances of landing the current Bayern Munich boss.

Txiki Begiristain, City’s sporting director, played a pivotal role in unearthing Guardiola as a manager after giving him an opportunity to prove himself when they worked together at Barcelona.

Paulo Duarte/Associated Press

It proved a hugely successful move. Guardiola won three La Liga titles, two Champions Leagues and two Copa del Reys, moulding arguably the finest club side the world of football has ever seen in the process.

And he’s proven since his switch to Bayern that he can continue to win in style, which is central to the vision Begiristain has for City in the coming years.

The plan would ideally have been for Pellegrini to see out the third year of his deal before making way for Guardiola, but the disastrous run City are on may force the club into looking for a new manager early. 

Klopp would certainly bring some added charisma to the role. Where Pellegrini can be a reserved and uninspiring media operator, Klopp charms and entertains. There have been suggestions that Pellegrini is failing to inspire the club’s supporters in the wake of difficult results because of his drab persona. Klopp has always wowed the media and impressed with his football rhetoric.

Whether City would want a manager with such a forceful personality remains to be seen. The Roberto Mancini era unravelled because of in-fighting, off-field problems, much of which centred on the outspoken Italian. The club's board of directors are unlikely to want to risk a return to turbulence and instability. 

Martin Meissner/Associated Press

It’s a job which would surely appeal to Klopp. He would have the necessary resources to improve a squad that remains talented but lacking pace and urgency—an opportunity to construct a side that plays fast, attacking football. 

The club’s £200 million academy facility, which demonstrated quite clearly their intentions for the future, is also likely to appeal to a man who enjoys building a squad in a considered way, rather than making vast alterations in a short space of time.

It will be very interesting to see City’s response to the news of his imminent departure. There’s a small pool of available managers this summer who could take over from Pellegrini and provide an upgrade, and when one comes on to the market, they have to be considered seriously.

However, he wouldn’t be a stop-gap. He would want a long contract and a chance to revolutionise the club on every level, which would mean the 2016 Guardiola dream is out of the window.

Rob Pollard is Bleacher Report's lead Manchester City correspondent and will be following the club from a Manchester base throughout the 2014-15 season. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow him on Twitter: @RobPollard.