Jurgen Klopp's reported talks with Barcelona have emerged amid uncertainty about Hansi Flick's future with the Catalan giants.
Flick led Barcelona to a La Liga and Copa Rel Rey double last season, as well as guiding the Blaugrana to the Champions League semi-finals in his first campaign.
However, now into his second term with Barca, ABC Futebol, Flick is "very tired" and since September, has been telling staff that he wishes to leave.
The report claims he has made no such request to sporting director Deco and president Joan Laporta but has grown frustrated over the players' lack of focus - with particular emphasis on Lamine Yamal - as well as the lack of support he has received from those above him.
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There is no suggestion that Flick will be out the door imminently but if he was to move on, compatriot Klopp would likely be a potential candidate Barca would look to target.
Out of work since May 2024 when he left Liverpool, Klopp has been working as global head of football for Red Bull.
But in the past, Ralf Rangnick, former Manchester United interim boss, has recommended the former Borussia Dortmund manager to Barcelona.
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According to the Austrian, he worked as a consultant back in 2021 and held meetings with Laporta and Rafael Yuste about their vision going for the club forward.
They wanted a coach who could manage a young set of players and Rangnick mentioned both Klopp and Flick, who later ended up getting the gig.
“I told Laporta that if you want to work with young players, you have to trust them, let them play like young wolves," he told SPORT.
"I mentioned Hansi Flick and maybe Klopp as well. Laporta must have remembered Flick, and that’s how he ended up with the job.”
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A year prior, Barcelona presidential hopeful Jordi Farre claimed he had held conversations with Klopp about him becoming the next Barca manager despite Ronald Koeman having only recently being appointed as manager.
He told Diario Sport: "Obviously, we have our roadmap and we had already started several conversations with Jurgen Klopp, because it seems to us that Barca need such a coach."
Klopp has gone on record to say he would not coach another English team after the legacy he created with Liverpool and in an appearance on the 'Diary of a CEO' podcast with Steven Bartlett, said he does not miss "standing in the rain for two-and-a-half, three hours" as well as other duties such as press conferences and being in the dressing room.
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Barca return to action on Wednesday night when they take on Belgian side Club Brugge looking for a third victory in this season's Champions League.
In the league, Barca are five points adrift of rivals Real Madrid after 11 games.
Topics: Jurgen Klopp, Barcelona, FC Barcelona, Liverpool
Josh Lawless