Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has been linked with the Real Madrid job, but former Reds ace Ryan Babel doesn't think a move to the Bernabeu would be a good fit for him

Real Madrid don't deserve a manager like Jurgen Klopp, according to former Liverpool striker Ryan Babel.

The German boss is bringing the curtain down on his incredible nine-year career on Merseyside at the end of the season, leaving fans wondering what could be next for him. After announcing his decision to leave in January, Klopp mentioned plans to take a sabbatical, though a number of top European clubs will no doubt be hoping to tempt him back into management this summer.

Real Madrid has been touted as a possible destination, despite the fact Carlo Ancelotti recently extended his stay at the Bernabeu until 2026. But some, including Babel, aren't sure if the move would be the right fit for Klopp.

"There are not many teams, in my opinion, who deserve Jurgen Klopp," Babel, 37, exclusively told Ladbrokes Fanzone. "He's a coach who needs to be accepted for who he is. He's someone who needs time to completely express is way of playing.

"So, with that being said, while I would love to see him be successful with a team like Real Madrid, we know that Real Madrid are not a team who are going to give him two or three years to eventually show the football that he wants to play. So, I don't think Real Madrid deserve him.

‌"Even a team like Bayern, you know, they don't have a lot of patience for managers. There are rumours that he might coach the German national team... I don't know about that. But I think he'll definitely surprise a lot of people."

Babel, who spent three-and-a-half years at Liverpool, also reckoned Klopp's sabbatical wouldn't last that long. He said: "He will probably go away to a lot of holiday destinations, drink some beer and spend some quality time with his family. He'll try to release all the stress, in a good environment with his family, before he inevitably goes back to work.

‌"Judging from the outside, and knowing Jurgen Klopp, he's far from done. I think he'll get bored within six months and he'll want to work again."

Babel joined the Reds from Ajax in 2007. He made 146 appearances for the club, scoring 22 goals, before leaving for Hoffenheim in 2011. He returned to the Premier League in 2018 after joining Fulham on a short-term deal, but lasted just a season at Craven Cottage. The Dutchman retired from football in November following stints at Galatasaray, Ajax and Eyupspor.