Klopp the favorite for Liverpool job

Even in the weeks prior to Brendan Rodgers' sacking following Liverpool's 1-1 draw at Everton in the Merseyside derby on Sunday, British sports talk shows had been rife with pundits pointing to the former Dortmund manager (pictured above left) as the leading candidate to succeed the Northern Irishman, whose team got off to a disappointing start to the campaign.

A glance at the back pages of the English tabloids on Monday morning left no doubt, that Klopp, who announced his resignation weeks ahead of the end of a disappointing last season in Dortmund, remained the popular favorite for the post.

"Jurgen Klopp to Liverpool: Here is all you need to know about the former Borussia Dortmund manager," read a headline on the website of the "Daily Mail" on Monday.

"Jurgen Klopp to Liverpool: German favourite, Carlo Ancelotti also in running, owners confirm search is 'underway," "The Independent" wrote in its headline.

"The Telegraph," meanwhile, reported: "Former Borussia Dortmund coach expected to hold talks in coming days and is seen as a more likely fit for club than Carlo Ancelotti," who is the other name being bandied about as a possible successor to Rodgers.

Bosnian exclusive'

The speculation has also been fueled by a report published on the Bosnian news website pravdabl.com even before Rodgers was sacked. It claimed that Klopp, and his assistant during his years at Dortmund, Zeljko Buvac, had already agreed to take over at Anfield, saying it had been given permission by Buvac, who comes from Bosnia, to break the story exclusively.

The idea that Buvac would go where ever Klopp winds up appears plausible in light of a comment the 48-year-old German made to Sky back in April. Having already announced that he would leave BVB at the end of the season, Klopp said it was possible that he would sit out the entire 2015-16 season, but that wherever he wound up, he would take his two assistants with him.

"We'll go as a three-man coaching complete coaching team (along with assistants Buvac and Peter Krawietz), but right now, no-one knows what will happen in the next year," he said.

"The Guardian," however, dismissed the Bosnian report as false.

The German media, in the wake of Bayern's thrashing of Klopp's former club in "Der Klassiker" on Sunday, largely restricted their reporting on the issue to the speculation in the English press.

'Decisive and timely manner'

The only thing that could be said with much certainty on Monday, was that the owners of Liverpool FC, Fenway Sports Group, were keen to appoint a replacement "in a decisive and timely manner." It is thought that they want to have the new man in place in time for him to be in the dugout when the Merseysiders resume their Premier League campaign against Tottenham Hostpur at White Hart Lane on October 17.