German football leaders on their way to New York for Klopp talks

German Football Federation (DFB) president Bernd Neuendorf and his deputy Hans-Joachim Watzke left for New York on Friday for first talks with Jürgen Klopp on the national team coaching job.

Former Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool coach Klopp is the top candidate to take over from Julian Nagelsmann, who resigned a week ago in the wake of a round of 32 World Cup exit against Paraguay.

Talks are expected to start later Friday after the arrival of Neuendorf and Watzke in New York. Klopp is at the World Cup in the US as MagentaTV pundit.

Klopp has said on several occasions he is willing to take over.

But a deal must be negotiated and Klopp must be released out of his contract until 2029 as Head of Global Soccer of soft drinks makers Red Bull.

The DFB leaders are expected to meet with Red Bull managing director Oliver Mintzlaff in New York. All parties are reportedly interested in finding a good solution.

Germany's next matches are four Nations League group games at the end of September and early October against the Netherlands, Serbia and twice against Greece.

Former DFB president Theo Zwanziger meanwhile said that the DFB must insist on a strict separation between the DFB and Red Bull if Klopp is appointed.

There is speculation that Klopp remains Red Bull brand ambassador of after becoming coach. In such a scenario the DFB wouldn't have to pay a takeover fee but his salary.

Zwanziger, who presided over the DFB 2006-2012, warned in an interview with weekend paper Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung that this may lead to split loyalties for Klopp.

"On the one hand, Red Bull wants to make money through him; on the other, as national team coach, he is expected to deliver the best possible results for German football. If this turns out to be true – though I still find it hard to believe – it would be a complete no-go,” Zwanziger said.

Zwanziger said that he acknowledges that Red Bull is investing a lot of money into sport but at the same time it "wants to win power in sport."

He said the coach "holds the second most important role in German football after the president, perhaps even the most important one of all.”

“National team coaches have always been paid. There has always been funding from DFB sponsors. But there does need to be harmony between the DFB’s sponsors and the national team coach’s sponsors,” Zwanziger said.