Jürgen Klopp has ruled himself out of the Manchester United job. The 46-year-old said: “Man United is a great club and I feel very familiar with their wonderful fans. But my commitment to Borussia Dortmund and the people is not breakable.”
Klopp, who was widely reported to be one of the United board's preferred candidates to succeed David Moyes, extended his contract at the Bundesliga side until 2018 in October and explained that he was "still in love" with the club last week. United did inquire about the possibility of attaining his services recently but were told that Klopp was insistent on honouring his contract at the Signal Iduna Park.
Contrary to the perception in England, neither Dortmund nor their coach believe that the team have hit their glass ceiling after losing two key players, Mario Götze and Robert Lewandowski, to the league winners Bayern Munich.
The club have only begun to establish themselves as the German league’s second force after nearly going out of business in 2005. Strong financial growth over the course of the last three years has seen their turnover rise to €256m in 2012-13, a figure that puts them ahead of Premier League teams such as Liverpool €240m and Tottenham Hotspur €172m.
Since taking on the job the 2008, Klopp has led his young squad to two championships, one German FA Cup and an appearance at the Champions League final in Wembley last may. Dortmund have qualified for the next Champions League group stage and will also contest this year’s cup final in Berlin, where Bayern will once again provide the opposition.
Dortmund, meanwhile, are interested in resigning Shinji Kagawa from United. The Japanese midfielder has struggled to be a regular at Old Trafford since his £17.6m move from Dortmund in 2012. Kagawa was believed to be weighing up the option of a return to Germany but is now expected to wait for the arrival of United's new manager, in the hope that his chances will improve. Guardian Service
