Tavolieri reported on Sunday that talks between Klopp and the Saudi Pro League club had been renewed and that the 58-year-old had agreed in principle to a role as technical director — with a condition attached that he would not leave his current position as Global Sports Director at Red Bull until after the current transfer window closed.
Kosicke responded directly to winwin.com.
"I am tired of all this nonsense. All of this is provocative and these claims are pure nonsense."
Kosicke had issued a similar denial approximately a week ago in response to earlier Al Ittihad reports, calling that link "ruled out." Tavolieri's follow-up insisting conversations had resumed prompted the second, sharper denial.
Former Liverpool manager Klopp signed with Red Bull in January 2025 and is contracted in his Global Sports Director role until the end of 2029. The position gives him oversight of football operations across the entire Red Bull network — including RB Leipzig, Red Bull Salzburg, Red Bull Bragantino and other affiliated clubs — without any direct coaching responsibilities.
Reports of internal friction at Red Bull and Klopp's alleged dissatisfaction with the scope of his influence have circulated intermittently since his appointment. Whether those tensions are real or exaggerated by speculation remains unclear. His agent's consistency in denying all coaching approaches, however, has been unambiguous throughout.