Jurgen Klopp was responsible for the arrival of several top stars at Liverpool but the German icon pinpointed one player in particular as his best signing during his time at Anfield
Jurgen Klopp signed several world class players during his time at Liverpool(Image: Clive Brunskill)
Much to the surprise of Liverpool fans across the globe, Jurgen Klopp doesn’t believe either Mohamed Salah or Virgil van Dijk were his best signings during his Anfield tenure. The former Reds boss oversaw the arrival of numerous top talents in his nine-year spell in Merseyside, including the likes of Alisson Becker, Sadio Mane, Andy Robertson and many more.
Despite being at the helm when the aforementioned players made the move to Liverpool, the 57-year-old explained that his best signing at the club wasn’t one plucked off the transfer market, instead it was a player he had promoted from within.
When asked on the Pure Football Podcast, Klopp admitted in 2020: “It’s Trent [Alexander-Arnold]. We didn’t have to buy him but Pep Lijnders my assistant brought him around and said: ‘He played No.6 [role] for me. He played full-back, he played right wing, left wing’.
“Then he came and there was only one problem: Trent was not fit enough. But he was a kid so he was not fit enough but we saw immediately, wow, football wise no doubts.
“But [he was] not fit enough so we had to work on that. But then he made steps by himself that were really unbelievable and that was really nice to see. Then he made mistakes and didn’t give up.”
Having overseen the growth of the England international at his boyhood club, it was on Friday that the 26-year-old’s departure to Real Madrid was confirmed after spending 20 years at Liverpool.
Jurgen Klopp defended Trent Alexander-Arnold after he was booed when coming on against Arsenal earlier this month(Image: Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images)
While he was expected to make the move to Spain on a free transfer upon the expiry of his contract on June 30, the Spanish giants have agreed a £10million deal to sign Alexander-Arnold a month early.
A deal was completed in order to have the right-back available to play in the Club World Cup who is set to be unveiled by the club on June 1.
A prior announcement of Alexander-Arnold agreeing a deal with Madrid wasn’t taken too kindly by Liverpool fans with sections of the Anfield crowd booing him when coming on in the 2-2 draw against Arsenal earlier this month.
Klopp – who appeared as a guest of honour at the LFC Foundation Gala Ball before Liverpool’s final game of the season against Crystal Palace – backed his former player and admitted he was left disappointed with fans who opted to boo Alexander-Arnold.
“I don’t want to tell anyone what they should think, I don’t want to say what you have to think but I can tell you what you think is wrong. Because I am an old man and I don’t waste time with hiding my opinion,” said Klopp.
The England star will be available to play for Real Madrid at the FIFA Club World Cup this month(Image: Carl Recine/Getty Images)
“I watched the game when he came on and I heard the booing. I’m old so it may be my hearing so I turned up the volume and said ‘That’s booing’. I needed another 10 seconds to realise and then I switched the telly off. I honestly could not have been more disappointed in this moment. This is not us, 100 per cent.
“I don’t tell you you should not be disappointed or angry, I tell you ‘Don’t forget’. This club does not forget. We are famous for not forgetting.
“We don’t forget anything: we don’t forget the good thing and we don’t forget the bad thing. But we ignore the bad things and remember the good things. You don’t have to be happy he is going, but don’t forget what he did for this club because I can’t forget it.”
Arne Slot’s side didn’t waste time in confirming their plans to move on from the now-Madrid star after they confirmed the signing of Jeremie Frimpong just hours after the Englishman’s departure was announced.
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