Timing is everything in football. A year ago, Jurgen Klopp was still the hottest property on the European coaching scene. While David Moyes was reaching his bitter end as Manchester United manager, Klopp was linked heavily with Old Trafford but had already extended his contract in Westphalia until 2018.
As it turned out, Louis van Gaal took over at Old Trafford and Klopp stayed on to try to rebuild Dortmund. His mission has failed this season following a desperately poor Bundesliga campaign but his exit this summer will leave the way clear for him to head to England.
Assuming Chelsea and Manchester United are happy with their managers, ESPN FC examines the candidate clubs, should Klopp decide to join another of the Premier League's elite.
When Klopp took Dortmund to the Emirates for November's Champions League group stage tie, Arsenal were in a slump and Arsene Wenger's future was being heavily debated. The problem was that Klopp's own team were already in the downward spiral that took them into the Bundesliga drop zone, and he actually described the Champions League as a welcome "holiday."
Hints were made at a possible move to England, too. "For my type of coaching, I need the language," In English. By 10 p.m. the next night after Arsenal soundly beat 2-0 an opponent well below their level of previous seasons, Klopp was in a sour mood and hurried away from the post-match news conference, hardly speaking any words in English. A very pleased Wenger, meanwhile, had relieved some pressure on himself.
For fans who want a change, Klopp is seen as the anti-Wenger. The Frenchman has become staid in their eyes, but Klopp's aggressive, attacking, high-tempo pressing game is the future they see for their side. Except that this season has seen Wenger alter his approach. At times this season, Arsenal -- especially in their 4-1 win over Liverpool this month -- play the warp-speed pressing game prescribed by the German. And it works.
With success in the FA Cup and an elevated Premier League standing, Wenger has not looked as secure in his position for some years, and his current contract has two more years to run. If Klopp is to be the heir apparent at the Emirates, it will not be now. In any case, his persona as a "maverick" does not seem the best fit for a club that steers clear from controversy and is very much part of the establishment. He does, however, know how to work on a budget.
If any English club has an imminent vacancy, it is the deposed champions. Out of Europe again and potentially out of the top four at the end of the season if their poor run continues, Manuel Pellegrini has lost his way and is expected to lose his job too. The Chilean's expected departure comes ahead of the schedule that the club's Catalan power brokers, CEO Ferran Soriano and director of football Txiki Begiristain, had set ahead of their next attempt to woo Bayern boss Pep Guardiola to the Etihad.
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A lost season is possible, and that may be compounded by Guardiola going elsewhere at the end of his Bayern contract in the summer of 2016. Klopp would rip up the formula at City, but that was not guaranteed anyway. The club's other options -- waiting for Real Madrid to sack Carlo Ancelotti; taking on Napoli's Rafa Benitez in the type of interim role in which he suffered at Chelsea; or asking the inexperienced Patrick Vieira (currently in charge of the club's U21 development squad) to step from reserve football -- do not look so cast-iron, either.
Taking Klopp on would not quite be "now or never" for City, since he could be a Plan B if a move for Guardiola does not come off. However, he does not seem a decent fit for the players City have in their squad, since it is difficult to imagine the likes of Yaya Toure taking too well to the half-marathon-distance running he expects from his players.
However, with an ageing squad and a new formula needed to get them back on top of the English game, Klopp -- with his personal charm and passion -- could be a decent front man for a club still seeking a strong, public sense of identity.
Is Brendan Rodgers secure at Liverpool? The official line is that he remains so, while victory in the FA Cup and overhauling City to reach the Champions League would certainly double-bolt credentials. However, should either or both go against him, then he would begin next season under significant pressure. Situations like Steven Gerrard's departure to join MLS and the ongoing Raheem Sterling contract saga suggest all is not perfect behind the scenes at Anfield.
Back in December when his team were bottoming out, Rodgers freely admitted he was in peril, and Klopp led the list of possible suitors speculated on to replace the Ulsterman. Owners Fenway Sports Group (FSG) will have candidates in mind should all go awry for Rodgers (common practice at any club) and Klopp would undoubtedly be on that list.
His ability to turn less expensive players into cashable assets would no doubt interest FSG, who are always willing to sell at the right price. His strong personality and public persona might also be a good fit for the club's supporters, much in the way Rodgers is adored by many. Before Rodgers took the job in May 2012 to succeed Kenny Dalglish, Klopp was a leading favourite to take the Anfield reins.
Should Klopp still be on the market next season, that might have the effect of placing greater pressure on Rodgers. If the German is still available, he could loom large over managers like Rodgers who find themselves under pressure. Certainly, Liverpool already have the players to fit Klopp's pressing game, and his high-tempo passing style could build on the successes found in playing that way last season.
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