Jürgen Klopp has reached an agreement in principle to become Germany's next head coach, ending months of speculation about his future following a year-long role as head of global football at Red Bull.

The former Liverpool manager held his first substantive talks with senior officials from the German Football Association (DFB) in New York on Friday, including DFB President Bernd Neuendorf and Vice President Hans-Joachim Watzke. The two sides agreed on the key points of a potential contract, with further discussions scheduled for next week.

The DFB confirmed the breakthrough in an official statement: "During the constructive exchange, an agreement was reached on the key points of a potential contract. Both sides are confident that the negotiations — subject to an agreement with Klopp's current employer, Red Bull — can ultimately be successfully concluded."

A four-year deal on the horizon

Klopp is expected to sign a four-year contract, which would represent his first coaching role since leaving Liverpool at the end of the 2023–24 season and his first foray into international management. He has been working as a pundit for German television during this summer's World Cup while his managerial future was resolved.

He takes over from Julian Nagelsmann, who resigned after Germany suffered an early exit from the tournament — losing to Paraguay on penalties in the round of 32. The result continued a troubling run for the nation that last won the World Cup in 2014 under Joachim Löw. Germany failed to advance beyond the group stage in both 2018 and 2022.

Watzke connection key to swift negotiations

The speed of the talks is largely attributed to the long-standing working relationship between Klopp and Watzke, who served as chief executive of Borussia Dortmund from 2005 until recently. Klopp managed Dortmund between 2008 and 2015, winning two Bundesliga titles, and was also in charge of Mainz 05 for seven years — the club where he spent most of his playing days.

His most celebrated chapter came at Liverpool, where he spent nine years and delivered seven major trophies, among them the Champions League in 2019 and the Premier League title in the 2019–20 season.

Nagelsmann had initially been appointed in September 2023 on a short-term deal through Euro 2024, which Germany hosted. They reached the quarter-finals before falling to eventual champions Spain in extra time. His contract was later extended to cover this World Cup and beyond, but he stepped down after his second major tournament ended in disappointment.