Klopp sets conditions for potential Real Madrid return

February 10, 2026 Oliver Obel

Real Madrid’s recent upturn under Alvaro Arbeloa has steadied the club after a turbulent spell, but it has not ended internal discussion about what comes next on the bench.

The club’s leadership is understood to be balancing short-term results against longer-term planning a process that has again brought Jurgen Klopp’s name into view.

Arbeloa’s start buys time, not certainty

Promoted from the reserve team following Xabi Alonso’s departure last month, Arbeloa has delivered an immediate response. Madrid have won four straight league matches, defeating Levante, Villarreal, Rayo Vallecano and Valencia to restore momentum in La Liga.

Those results have strengthened his position, but not definitively secured it. Spanish daily MARCA reported that Arbeloa’s contract runs beyond the end of the current season under a flexible structure that reflects confidence while preserving the club’s ability to reassess.

The newspaper wrote: “Information obtained by this newspaper suggests a one-year, one-year contract, confirming the club's commitment to Arbeloa as the first-team manager. The plan is for him to continue leading the team after the current season ends, unless the sporting director and the president decide that the established objectives have not been met and terminate his contract.”

In practical terms, that places performance and trophies at the center of his case.

Klopp remains part of longer-term thinking

Klopp has not returned to frontline coaching since stepping away from Liverpool at the end of the 2023/24 season, closing a demanding nine-year period that reshaped the club domestically and in Europe.

He now works as Head of Global Soccer for the Red Bull Group, a role focused on strategic oversight rather than weekly management. Despite that shift, interest in a potential return has not disappeared.

In January, Sky Sports reported that Real Madrid regard Klopp as one of several high-profile options should the club decide to appoint a new head coach in the summer of 2026, framing the German as a contingency rather than an immediate target.

Conditions attached to any move

Spanish outlet Defensa Central has suggested that Klopp would require firm guarantees over squad planning before considering the position. According to its report, he has outlined five priorities tied to recruitment and player availability.

Those requests reportedly include reinforcements in central defense and midfield, along with the recall of Brazilian forward Endrick from his loan spell at Lyon during the 2025/26 campaign.

While no negotiations have been confirmed, the outlet named Kees Smit, Adam Wharton, Nico Schlotterbeck and Jacobo Ramon as players who have been discussed as potential fits should Madrid opt for a broader rebuild.

Outcome likely dictated by results

Klopp’s record domestic titles in Germany and England and a Champions League win with Liverpool in 2019 ensures his candidacy carries weight whenever elite roles open up.

Still, Defensa Central noted that Arbeloa’s fate is likely to be settled on the pitch. A season that delivers silverware would strengthen the argument for continuity; falling short could prompt Madrid to accelerate a search for a more established figure.

For now, both tracks remain open.

Sources: Sky Sports, MARCA, Defensa Central