Klopp's Real Madrid Shopping List: Out with Vinicius and Mastantuono, In with Fernandez

If Jurgen Klopp is genuinely considering swapping his Red Bull Global Head of Football role for the Real Madrid hot seat, he's apparently not holding back on what needs to change at the Bernabéu.

The 58-year-old has been out of the dugout since departing Liverpool at the end of 2023/24, taking a sabbatical before joining Red Bull at the start of 2025. But German journalist Florian Plettenberg revealed last week that the legendary manager is "seriously considering" a return should Real Madrid come calling this summer, with the Spanish capital club being one of just two projects that could lure him back into management alongside the German national team.

That revelation has sparked Spanish media into overdrive, with claims emerging that Klopp has already begun making demands of Real Madrid. Whether such reports hold water remains debatable, but the specificity is certainly eye-catching.

According to reports from Spain, Klopp wants two significant departures if he's to replace Alvaro Arbeloa—the former Liverpool defender appointed after Xabi Alonso's exit. First on the chopping block: Vinicius Junior. The Brazilian winger stands accused of demanding wages comparable to Kylian Mbappé's, a level the report suggests he hasn't earned through on-pitch performances, with particular criticism levelled at his "childish attitude." Klopp apparently believes shifting the number seven would resolve existing problems within the squad.

Franco Mastantuono completes the duo Klopp supposedly wants out. The Argentine prospect, according to reports citing Kicker, doesn't currently possess the requisite standard for Real Madrid, at least in the manager's assessment.

On the incoming front, Klopp is said to be enthusiastically backing a move for Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez. Real Madrid are allegedly negotiating a transfer valued at approximately 100 million euros—around £86 million—with the Argentine international identified as a top priority. Chelsea, unsurprisingly, view him as a key player and aren't entertaining bargain-basement offers.

Initial discussions have supposedly taken place, though the London club has made clear their position: Fernandez isn't leaving on the cheap. Sources suggest the midfielder himself would welcome the prospect of joining Real Madrid, particularly if Klopp takes the helm and guarantees him a prominent role in the project.