GERMAN COACHING LEGEND Eckhard Krautzun has insisted that Jurgen Klopp has told him he will manage Manchester United in the future.
The former Dortmund coach announced on June 1 that he would be taking a break from management, with the 47-year-old having been linked with taking over at both Liverpool and Real Madrid, prior to Rafael Benitez’s appointment.
But Krautzun, who worked alongside Klopp during his time at Mainz, says that the eccentric coach has previously told him that he will end up at Old Trafford.
When asked if Klopp would be perfect for the Premier League, Krautzun told Goal: “Perfect? I don’t know. But Jurgen speaks English. And since we spoke about United: He once told me, that one day, when it does not fit with Dortmund anymore, Manchester United would be his club.
“But at this moment the job is taken. Klopp would fit perfectly to an English club that is well lead and well organised. One which has a very good board of directors. A club with one person reigning, like Chelsea, would not be right for him.”
Krautzun also discussed Louis van Gaal, with the Dutchman having guided United back into the Champions League, albeit the play-off round, in his first season at the club. He added: Van Gaal is an extraordinary coach with international reputation, but a totally different character.
“[Sir Alex] Ferguson is open, humorous and with both feet on the ground. This could be valid with Van Gaal, too. I just think, he gets misunderstood too often, because people take him too seriously.
“When he was a young coach I visited him at Ajax and back then he was very open and helpful with typically Dutch humour. For sure he is not unsympathetic.”
