Germany are reportedly set to sack head coach Julian Nagelsmann following the national team’s disappointing World Cup campaign, with former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp emerging as the leading candidate to replace him.
According to German tabloid Bild, Nagelsmann met officials of the German Football Association (DFB) at its headquarters in Frankfurt on Thursday and was offered a severance package worth seven million euros to leave his post.
Nagelsmann, 38, has come under intense scrutiny since Germany suffered a shock defeat to Paraguay in the World Cup round of 32.
His contract, which was renewed in January 2025, runs until 2028. Although his salary has not been officially disclosed, German media estimate he earns about seven million euros annually.
The penalty shoot-out defeat to Paraguay marked Germany’s third consecutive early exit from the World Cup after group-stage eliminations in Russia and Qatar.
It was also Germany’s first knockout-stage appearance since winning the World Cup in Brazil in 2014.
Following the defeat, DFB president Bernd Neuendorf announced an immediate review of the team’s World Cup performance.
AFP’s sports subsidiary, SID, reported that a decision on Nagelsmann’s future is expected by the beginning of next week.
Several German media organisations, including Sky Germany and Sueddeutsche Zeitung, have identified Jurgen Klopp as the overwhelming favourite to succeed Nagelsmann.
Klopp left Liverpool in 2024 and currently serves as Red Bull’s Head of Global Football, overseeing the company’s network of clubs across Austria, Germany, Brazil, the United States and Japan.