Next Klopp on the market? Liverpool and United circle ‘world‑class’ Glasner as pressure builds

Here we go again on the Premier League merry-go-round. Liverpool and Manchester United, two giants with itchy trigger fingers, are keeping a very close eye on Crystal Palace’s Oliver Glasner — the Austrian tactician many have branded “world-class”. With his contract up at the end of the season, the Selhurst Park supremo is suddenly the most intriguing figure in English football’s dugout drama.

Liverpool’s Klopp‑like candidate

At Anfield, senior figures Richard Hughes and Michael Edwards are understood to admire Glasner’s work and see stylistic echoes of Jurgen Klopp’s intensity and clarity of purpose. According to CaughtOffside, Arne Slot is safe for now, but the pressure is undeniably creeping up after a grim league run — just two wins in the last 10. The same report notes Slot delivered Liverpool’s second Premier League title last season, but sentiment only stretches so far when results dip.

If things don’t turn sharpish, Glasner is viewed as the frontrunner. He brings structure without stifling ambition, gets buy-in from his players, and has shown he can out-think the league’s elite. It’s the sort of profile that speaks to Liverpool’s data-led approach: repeatable principles, measurable impact.

Palace’s rise under the Austrian

Glasner stepped in back in February 2024 to replace Roy Hodgson and has transformed Palace from plucky to potent. He delivered the club’s first major trophy with last season’s FA Cup triumph and then pipped Liverpool in August’s Community Shield. This term, after 14 league games, Palace sit fifth — remarkably above both United and Liverpool, who are level on points. That’s not a quirk of the table; it’s the product of a team that’s tactically drilled and mentally resilient.

Here’s the kicker for the number-crunchers: 41 wins from 84 games in charge, a 1.74 points-per-game average. Efficient, consistent, and scalable — the sort of metrics that get recruitment departments purring.

Old Trafford could force the pace

Across the M62, Manchester United are wobbling. Under Ruben Amorim they’ve managed just a single league win in eight, including that flat 1-1 draw at home to West Ham on Thursday. The momentum from October’s three-game streak — highlighted by a superb 2-1 win at Anfield — has evaporated, and the scrutiny is back in full glare.

United face bottom-placed Wolves away on Monday; Liverpool head to Leeds on Saturday. Slips in either fixture crank up the narrative further. If United decide they need a reset, expect their interest in Glasner to intensify quickly.

Why Glasner fits the brief

Glasner’s Palace are compact without being passive, aggressive without being reckless, and adaptable in-game — hallmarks of a coach who coaches, not just manages. His communication is clear, his players understand their roles, and he has a knack for elevating the collective. In a league where the margins are tight and the schedule is brutal, those traits travel well from mid-table projects to title tilts.

There’s also the timing. With his contract expiring at season’s end, any move becomes a question of nerve and negotiation. Palace won’t roll over easily — nor should they — but the clock adds leverage for the big boys.

Pundit’s verdict

If Liverpool decide to act, Glasner feels tailor-made for their culture: intensity, identity, and a clear game model. For United, he offers a reset built on structure and standards. Either way, he’s earned the attention — not with hype, but with hard, repeatable football.

If you fancy tracking the twists of this saga while you have a flutter, our best betting sites guide is worth a look. Right now, the momentum suggests Glasner is the name at the top of the list if either club blinks — though Palace’s resurgence means he won’t come cheap or quietly.

The state of play

• Liverpool admire him and, per CaughtOffside, view him as a leading option if Slot’s slide continues.

• United’s poor form under Amorim keeps the door ajar for a move.

• Palace’s progress — FA Cup, Community Shield win over Liverpool, fifth after 14 — is the strongest advert for Glasner’s methods.

Strap in. If results swing the wrong way this weekend, the phone lines will start humming — and Glasner’s will be the hottest number in town.