Jurgen Klopp has let go of RB Leipzig’s manager and is expected to bring in a surprising former Premier League star as the new coach.
Jürgen Klopp has decided to let RB Leipzig head coach Ole Werner go after just one season. The Red Bull Global Head of Soccer is now looking to bring in a former Premier League star as the new coach.
Klopp took on this role in January 2025, overseeing the football operations at several clubs, including RB Leipzig, Red Bull Salzburg, New York Red Bulls, Red Bull Bragantino, RB Omiya Ardija, and FC Liefering.
Last season, Leipzig finished third in the Bundesliga, Germany’s top league, though they were 34 points behind the champions, Bayern Munich. Even though Werner led the team to qualify for the Champions League, the club decided it was time for a change.
Leipzig’s sports director, Marcel Schäfer, said, “After reviewing the season carefully over the past few days, we decided on Tuesday evening that a new head coach is needed. Ole and the team did a great job rebuilding and qualifying for the Champions League. But we believe the next challenges call for new ideas and a fresh approach.”
This will be Leipzig’s eighth coach since joining the Bundesliga in 2016. Klopp, who also works as a World Cup pundit for German TV channel Magenta TV, talked about the decision. He said, “We act as advisers in the Global Team and helped review the season. Ole did a fantastic job getting into the Champions League. But we also have to plan ahead, and after discussing the future, the club chose to make a change.”
Reports say that Martín Demichelis, the current coach of RCD Mallorca and former player for Bayern Munich, Málaga, Manchester City, and Argentina, is the favorite to take over. Demichelis led River Plate to a league title in 2023, then managed Monterrey in Mexico, and took charge of Mallorca in 2026. Unfortunately, Mallorca finished 18th in La Liga and got relegated.
When asked about Demichelis joining, Klopp said, “I’m not involved in rumors right now. Leipzig will share any updates.”
Though Klopp advises on football decisions for the Red Bull Group clubs, the day-to-day work is handled by each club’s own managers and coaches. He told Bundesliga.com, “Coaching has always included some strategy for me. At Mainz, I worked with the team to improve the club, and when I left for Dortmund, it was a very different place. We had to make changes at Dortmund too, and by the end, it was a completely different club. I’m always interested in improving a club’s structure and culture, and sometimes it helps to have an outside view for that.”