91Èȱ¬

Borussia Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp has said he will leave the Bundesliga club at the end of the season.

The 47-year-old German asked to be released from his contract, which had been due to run until 2018.

"It's not that I'm tired, I've not had contact with another club but don't plan to take a sabbatical," he said.

Klopp has coached Dortmund since 2008, taking them to two league titles and the Champions League final in 2012-13, but this term they are currently 10th.

They lie 37 points behind leaders Bayern Munich, having been bottom of the league in February before a partial revival.

Klopp told a news conference: "I always said in that moment where I believe I am not the perfect coach anymore for this extraordinary club I will say so.

"I really think the decision is the right one. This club deserves to be coached from the 100% right manager."

Referring to the departures of Mario Gotze and Robert Lewandowski to Bayern Munich over the past two summers, he added: "I chose this time to announce it because in the last few years some player decisions were made late and there was no time to react."

Regarded as one of the most talented coaches in Europe, the charismatic Klopp led Dortmund to successive Bundesliga titles and became the first boss to win the domestic double with the club.

He also guided them to the Champions League final, in which they were beaten 2-1 by fellow German side Bayern Munich at Wembley.

He has frequently been linked with Premier League clubs, including Manchester United before the appointment of Louis van Gaal, Arsenal during lean spells at the Emirates, and latterly with defending champions Manchester City.