The former Borussia Dortmund coach is favourite to take over from the Northern Irishman, with ex-Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti also a contender.

German Klopp, 48, is understood to be open to the idea of a move.

Talks with his representatives are progressing well and the club want a new manager in place to prepare for a visit to Tottenham on 17 October.

In a statement issued by the League Managers' Association on his behalf, Rodgers, 42, said he was "incredibly disappointed" his three-and-a-half-year tenure at Anfield was over.

"It has been both an honour and a privilege to manage one of the game's great clubs," said the Northern Irishman, who was sacked after Sunday's 1-1 Merseyside derby draw at Everton.

"I have worked every day to represent the club to the best of my ability, to develop both individual players and a team that the club's magnificent fans can be proud of.

"There have been some very memorable moments during my time at Liverpool and I would like to thank all of the players for their hard work and commitment."

Rodgers, who said he is in no rush to take another job, added the Reds squad was in transition but was showing a "strong sense of togetherness".

Negotiations will now take place over his severance package, which could cost Liverpool in excess of £5m.

Liverpool's American owners Fenway Sports Group have no plans to travel to the UK and, at this stage, plan to oversee the recruitment process from the United States.

Klopp is understood to have spoken to former Liverpool and Germany midfielder Dietmar Hamann about the club, the city and the fans.

He has been out of work since leaving Dortmund, with whom he won two German Bundesliga titles, in the summer.

He lost the German Cup final to Wolfsburg in his final game and his side struggled domestically throughout the campaign, eventually finishing seventh in 2014-15.

Former Germany midfielder Stefan Effenberg believes Klopp will be back coaching "very, very soon" and thinks he is suited to Anfield.

Effenberg, who played 35 times for Germany and won the World Cup in 1990, is a good friend of Klopp and told BBC World Service Sport: "He gave me this answer a couple of weeks ago. He said, 'I'm ready for a team that's not on the highest level, to create something, to build something up'. This could be Liverpool, right?"

Speaking at the ASPIRE4SPORT conference in Berlin, he added: "Liverpool is one of the greatest atmospheres. It's pretty much the same as Dortmund. The fans stay with everything behind the club and this is what Jurgen Klopp likes and what he needs.

"So maybe, very soon, we'll hear something from Jurgen Klopp, to make a decision, maybe, for Liverpool."

Colin Bell, who worked with Klopp at German club Mainz between 2001 and 2005 told BBC World Service Sport that the "charismatic" 48-year-old "lives his football".

"He's not an actor in this sense," said Bell. "He's authentic, he can show his emotions - you can see that on the sidelines when he gets upset with referees or his players.

"Klopp has this reputation in Germany as happy and easy to get along with, but he's also a very hard worker on the pitch and if the players do not please him or do not do exactly what he wants them to do then he can get stuck into them which is exactly what players need."

Gary Gordon, Dortmund academy coach, described his former boss as a "Mr Motivator" who will "open up some of the players' eyes".

He told BBC Radio 5 live: "With a team backing him, I think he'll be able to fix it in a short period of time, at least stabilise the team and be able to play at the level they're supposed to be playing at."

(BBC)