It’s one of the worst-kept secrets in football.
Kylian Mbappe will join Real Madrid this summer after walking away from his contract at PSG, with the Frenchman set to reveal as much by attending the Spaniards’ Champions League final against Borussia Dortmund at Wembley Stadium.
And there will be another interested observer in the stands on June 1: Jurgen Klopp, whose time as head coach at Liverpool has come to an end. However, rumours abound about his next job in the beautiful game…
Watching With Interest
The Champions League winner odds make Real Madrid a comfortable 3/10 favourite to lift the trophy for a sixth time in the past decade.
You won’t find many Champions League betting tips columns offering much of a chance to Dortmund, who have been impressive in reaching the final but who could be outmatched against a dynamic Real side that has cantered to the La Liga title.
Although he will have played no part in the triumph, Mbappe will be feeling pretty excited about the prospect of joining the potential European champions – something that has eluded him during his time in Paris.
PSG have spent big on new players over the years, but success in the continent’s premier competition has been evasive – indeed, they’ve only played in one Champions League final in the entirety of their ‘monied’ era since being acquired by Qatari Sports Investments in 2011.
???? Real Madrid and Kylian Mbappé, all set to happen since February…
…and here we go, coming soon. ?? pic.twitter.com/WbelHjIZL2
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) May 10, 2024
You can certainly understand why an ambitious 25-year-old would want to walk away from that failing dynasty then, with revered journalist Guillem Balague confirming Mbappe’s move to Madrid back in February.
He will link up with a number of his French international teammates there – with whom he shared that heartbreaking World Cup final loss to Argentina in 2022.
But who knows, with EURO 2024 taking place this summer, perhaps Mbappe and his French friends will have a double cause for celebration in Madrid?
President Klopp?
The word ‘legend’ is often overused in sport, but there’s no doubt that Klopp is revered as such by the fanbases of both Liverpool and Dortmund.
He brought silverware to both, defying the power of more-established rivals like Manchester City and Bayern Munich, and implementing an aesthetically-pleasing brand of football along the way.
Congratulations to former coach Jürgen Klopp and Liverpool on winning the Premier League! ? pic.twitter.com/2CuQQAgYnu
— Borussia Dortmund (@BlackYellow) June 25, 2020
Klopp has said that a lack of energy has been the root cause of him walking away from Liverpool at the end of his contract, with those closest to the 56-year-old suggesting he may not take on another managerial job.
Gary Lineker, the former striker turned pundit, believes that Klopp may make a U-turn on that sensitivity once he’s recharged his batteries, although the Match of the Day host has also suggested that the German is being eyed up for another role at his former club.
“I heard a little rumour that he might end up being president of Borussia Dortmund, which would be amazing,” Lineker told the Rest is Football podcast.
Given that Klopp has been invited to attend the Champions League final in London, he may have the perfect chance to discuss such a position with the Dortmund hierarchy.
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