LONDON – Borussia Dortmund manager Juergen Klopp has told Chelsea to take him off their wish list, vowing to see out his contract with the German side until the end of his contract in 2016.
The 45-year-old is reportedly high on Roman Abramovich's list of possible candidates to replace caretaker manager Rafael Benitez at the end of the season.
But in an interview with London's Evening Standard published Monday, Klopp said it was not worth Chelsea even asking the question.
“I have a contract until 2016,” Klopp said. “I have said 20 times I'll definitely stay until 2016. Everybody thinks I say it but that if a club like Chelsea or Real Madrid come in for me, I will (would) go. This is something I can't change but they will see.
“I was the coach at Mainz before Dortmund for seven years. Each year I could have left for a Bundesliga club but I said 'no, I have a contract, I will stay'. I enjoy what I'm doing here at Dortmund. It's a great club, a great city, everything is OK.
“It is a really big honour for me, coming from a small village called Bretten in the Black Forest where 1,500 people live, that somebody thinks I can train Chelsea. It's not a normal story, it's a special story. But I don't think about it.”
Klopp said a big wage offer from Chelsea would not convince him to move.
“I had this situation when I was in Mainz,” he said. “It's not about the money for me. I have enough to eat three times a day. It's a big honour, but in this moment I'm not on the market, I'm sorry.”
Dortmund's sporting director Michael Zorc said Chelsea should not waste their time getting in touch.
“It is not worth Chelsea ringing us. There is no chance at all, at least until 2016,” he said.
“Even if they offered compensation the answer would still be no. Even though we are not a bank with too much money, we don't need it. That's our situation. He's priceless. We are committed to each other - we gave our word.”
Klopp led Dortmund to the league title in 2011 and the league and cup double in 2012. – Sapa-dpa