Liverpool Transfer News: Jurgen Klopp Approached by Real Madrid, Latest Rumours

Former Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon has claimed that Los Blancos looked to bring Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp to the Santiago Bernabeu this summer, with current manager Rafael Benitez reportedly their fourth choice for the position.

Speaking with beIN Sports (h/t Tyrone Marshall of the Daily Mirror), Calderon claimed that current Real chief Florentino Perez spoke to Jose Mourinho, Joachim Low and Klopp during the summer, before settling on the job’s current incumbent.

“(Florentino) Perez went to sign (Joachim) Low, the German that is coaching the national team, then Klopp and finally Benitez," said Calderon. “The truth is that Benitez was the fourth option for Real Madrid.”

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Getting Klopp to Anfield was viewed as a major coup by many and although it’s unclear why he didn’t end up at the Santiago Bernabeu, it’s a measure of his managerial pedigree that a club as grand as Real had the German on their shortlist.

Klopp has drawn three and won one of his opening four matches as Liverpool boss. There haven’t been many fireworks as of yet, but slowly Klopp seems to be getting his various mantras across. As we can see here courtesy of BreatheSport, the manager is a huge character too, something that has immediately endeared him to the Reds fans:

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Jurgen Klopp letting Jordon Ibe borrow his glasses, love that man #LFC https://t.co/ok4ltm7FGT

— BreatheSport (@BreatheSport) October 30, 2015"

Liverpool are a much better fit for Klopp than Real anyway. The German is a coach who needs time to instil his principles into a squad and although Los Blancos are arguably the biggest football team in the world, time is not a luxury a lot of their managers get.

Anfield may have to wait a while before they see the very best of this team, but it’s a patience the former Borussia Dortmund man will be given. The Liverpool supporters will be hopeful the end result will turn out to be worth the wait.

Klopp to Revamp Liverpool Loan System

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The Liverpool manager has also outlined his intentions to alter the way in which the club loans out players, with Lazar Markovic and Mario Balotelli both impressing in their temporary moves away from Anfield.

Speaking at his press conference on Friday, Klopp has admitted he is keeping close tabs on the Liverpool stars currently away on loan deals, but it’s a dynamic he will look to address moving forward, per Adam Skinner of the Daily Express:

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It is not normal to have players on loan in Germany, but in England it is. When I have time I watch these players. I went to Wolverhampton to watch (Sheyi) Ojo but he didn’t play.

It’s part of my job—what we do with the guys here and those out on loan. There will be a time when we have to make a decision.

I’m not sure in this moment it’s always best to give young players to other clubs. I think it’s a kind of pressure you don’t need at that age. You play together with experienced players every day and have to show you are better than them. Everyone at home is expecting you to take the next step.

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Jon Super/Associated Press

While Klopp will be unable to recall the likes of Balotelli and Markovic from their stints at Milan and Fenerbahce, respectively, per Skinner, it’ll certainly be intriguing to see what the future holds for these players when they do return to Anfield further down the line. 

As we can see here courtesy of Empire of the Kop, the Reds currently have a lot of figures plying their trade temporarily at other clubs:

Of course, the likes of Markovic and Balotelli never quite settled under Brendan Rodgers and Klopp will be able to make a decision on them in his own time. But his opinions on young players are intriguing, as it’s been a common consensus among English football that the best way to develop these prospects is by getting them time on loan.

PAUL ELLIS/Getty Images

The German seems to disagree. For a club like Liverpool, who are unable to attract the world’s very best players, a stream of youngsters progressing from the academy into the first team is vital. It’s not a process that has happened too often in recent seasons and a reshape of the infrastructure is maybe what’s needed to produce the next Jamie Carragher or Steven Gerrard.