Narcis Pelach picked by Jurgen Klopp for first top job since Stoke City exit

Narcis Pelach is expected to be named as new boss at Japanese second tier side RB Omiya Ardija.

The 37-year-old is returning to management for the first time since leaving Stoke City in December 2024, having coached under Graham Potter at West Ham in the Premier League for much of last year.

The recruitment process for the club - part of Red Bull's chain of teams around the world, also including Red Bull Salzburg, RB Leipzig and Leeds United - is said to have been overseen by Red Bull GmbH's head of global soccer, Jurgen Klopp.

It is perhaps no coincidence either, however, that Ardija's head of sports is Stuart Webber, who was Pelach's old boss when he was first team coach at Norwich City. Webber left Norwich in November 2023 and moved to Japan almost two years later.

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Ardija won promotion to J2 in 2024 and are hoping to return to the J-League top tier for the first time since 2017.

Fabrizio Romano, the social media transfer reporter, told his near 28 million followers: "Understand Jürgen Klopp is on the verge of appointing Narcis Pelach as the new head coach of RB Omiya Ardija in Japan. Klopp led the process to bring in the coach who will join the RBA group club on a two-year contract."

Pelach joined Stoke in September 2024 but left after picking up just three wins in 19 games.

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