Jurgen Klopp's new position could become even bigger after the announcement of Red Bull as a new shareholder of the French club

It looks like Jurgen Klopp could be busier in his new job, with Red Bull adding the Paris second team to its growing football portfolio.

The former Liverpool manager was announced as the Global head of football for the Austrian energy drink and sports property power in early 2024.

The measure occurred a few months later. ending his nine-year tenure in charge at Anfield – where he guided the Reds to Premier League and Champions League glory – but that got the German manager into a lot of trouble.

Previously considered a football romantic and a man of the people, Klopp damaged his reputation in front of an entire generation of fans in his homeland by accepting a job with a corporate entity considered by many to be the antithesis of the German football dream of fan-owned clubs.

His role sees him oversee Red Bull's team network, its football vision and strategy and help individual club sporting directors “promote the Red Bull philosophy”.

He won't be involved in the day-to-day operations of any of the teams under the Red Bull banner, which is a good thing, because there are many. he left Liverpool after all, take a break.

While Red Bull Salzburg represents the brand in its homeland, the true jewel in its crown and the highest-ranked team under its control is Bundesliga side RB Leipzig.

And no, RB does not mean Red Bull. Well, of course they do, but to avoid the rules of the German Football Association, the company invented the word “Rasenballsport”, literally translated as “grass ball sports”, so they could have their initials on the crest and the club shirts.

But there's more, with New York Red Bulls in Major League Soccer, Red Bull Bragantino in Brazil and Red Bull Ghana in Ghana.

The Austrian conglomerate has also reached a deal to take control of its first team in Asia, Japanese club Omiya Ardija, from 2025, while also becoming a minor shareholder of the historic English club Leeds Unitedwhose famous white t-shirts now bear the Red Bull logo.

And now it has been announced that Paris FC are the latest team to join the Red Bull squad.

Red Bull is now a minority shareholder (10.6%), and Agache Sports, operated by the Arnault family, owner of luxury brands Christian Dior, Louis Vuitton and Moet, among others, is now a majority shareholder (52.4%). of the club.

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It doesn't look like Paris FC will get the full Red Bull rebranding treatment, from blue and black to white and red uniforms, at least according to a statement from the club's new president.

Instead, Red Bull is likely to sponsor the club and be involved in operations, similar to how it works at Leeds.

Pierre Ferracci said in a statement: “This step we have just taken is an important moment in the life and history of the Club. With the arrival of Agache Sports and Red Bull, Paris FC is giving itself the means to set ambitious goals. .

“Without rushing, respecting its identity and values ​​and trusting in a Parisian region whose potential we know, Paris FC will continue its progression, which will benefit its training centers and its first teams, both women's and men's.

“The adventure continues. It will be beautiful.”

While Red Bull does not appear to be completing a full takeover of the Paris football operations, it seems likely that Klopp will at least be involved in some capacity, with his new role set to see him traveling around the world to help develop these youngsters. clubs and build them for the future.

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Paris FC is only 55 years old. Currently playing in Ligue 2, the club are seeking promotion to Ligue 1 for the first time since 1979 and, at the time of writing, are at the top of the table.

It is the second football club in Paris behind PSG and there is history between both teams. Lots of history.

In the late 1960s, Paris Football Club merged with Stade Saint-Germain to form the newly founded Paris Saint-Germain, only for Paris FC to withdraw from the merger after two years to assume its previous identity .

Paris FC were allowed to maintain their top flight status, keeping all their first team players and the Parc des Princes as their stadium. Meanwhile, PSG was relegated to the third division, remaining in the Paris suburbs and receiving the club's amateur players.

However, what happened next was a complete reversal of fortunes: Paris FC remained in the top league for just three seasons before being relegated, and PSG enjoyed consecutive promotions to immediately return to Ligue 1.

Then Parc Des Princes was loaned back to PSG (it has now become the club's stable home) and Paris FC collapsed. They returned to playing top-flight football in the 1978-79 season, but did not last long and were instantly relegated after just one year. Since then they have not played in Ligue 1 again.

In the 1980s there was another merger when Paris FC was bought by the owner of Racing Club de France, also from Paris. The newly strengthened Racing Club remained in their league, but what remained of Paris FC was relegated to the fourth division.

Since then, they have gone up and down the French football pyramid; Ironically, they are now in the second division and Racing has been relegated to the fifth.

But they have never returned to the top, something Klopp and Red Bull will seek to change.

That is exactly what the Austrian firm did with Leipzig. The club was only founded in 2009, yet in 15 years it has risen from the fifth division of German football to become a staple of the Bundesliga.

They even qualified for the Champions League after their first season in the top flight and now compete regularly in Europe's top flight.

They may be hated by the broader base of German football fans, but it's a model that's proven to work, and it's one that Paris FC bosses will want to take advantage of.

It's time to polish your French, Jurgen. Good opportunity!