Jurgen Klopp has laid his cards on the table regarding what it will take for him to accept the Real Madrid job. The German coach has been mooted as the frontrunner to become Xabi Alonso's replacement.
Alvaro Arbeloa took over from Alonso after he was dismissed on January 12th and he is currently the caretaker manager. There has been no clarification from the club about how long the interim coach's is although there are some suggestions it will be determined by what is achieved at the end of the season.
Klopp has constantly ruled out becoming Madrid's new manager but there continues to be speculation that he can be persuaded by Los Blancos. If he is to take the reigns he will reportedly make three demands.
Jurgen Klopp wants two Real Madrid stars sold
Klopp is one of Europe's most respected tacticians who didn't just work his magic on the touchline at Liverpool but also oversaw a transformation of the club. He was apppointed when the Reds were struggling to compete for Champions League football.
During his nine years at Anfield he ended the Merseyside giants' 30-year wait for a league title. He also oversaw a Champions League triumph and this was achieved thanks to his astute decisions in the transfer market alongside the recruitment staff.
According to TouchlineX, Klopp wants "full control over departures and signings" if he is to become Madrid's new permanent manager. That could be an issue given Florentino Perez very rarely gives his coaches such control.
It's also claimed that club captain Dani Carvajal and French left-back Ferland Mendy wouldn't be part of his plans. Carvajal has started incurring injury issues at this stage of his career and the 34-year-old's contract expires this summer.
Klopp would already have a desired replacement at the Estadio Bernabeu as Trent Alexander-Arnold arrived from Liverpool last summer. He oversaw the English right-back's development at Anfield and has been a huge supporter of the player.
π¨ πππππππππ: JΓΌrgen Klopp demands full control over departures and signings if he were to take over the managerial job at Real Madrid in the summer.
β The Touchline | π (@TouchlineX) January 23, 2026
Dani Carvajal and Ferland Mendy would not be in his plans. pic.twitter.com/TDRyK0SQNp
Mendy would also be in danger of leaving Madrid as it seems Klopp doesn't intend to include him in his project. The 30-year-old has suffered with a nightmare injury curse and has rarely been fit this season.
Signings Klopp is likely to demand
If Perez does agree to Klopp being in control of Madrid's transfer activity it raises questions over who could arrive at the Bernabeu. A new midfielder looks to be on the club's radar, irrespective of who takes charge.
One option could be Alexis Mac Allister who was signed in Klopp's final season at Liverpool. The Argentine midfielder has been linked with Los Blancos in the past and offers a profile that this current team are perhaps missing.
Another possibility could be a new right-back to compete with Alexander-Arnold in a Klopp Madrid team. That would likely be a young option who is aware that he is back-up until he proves himself as a regular starter.
Vinicius Junior's future is still unclear despite reports suggesting he is likely to extend his contract at the end of the season. But if the Brazilian winger were to depart a possible replacement could be Luis Diaz who has been in fine form at Bayern Munich and starred under Klopp at Anfield.