Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has explained why he rejected an approach from Manchester United and criticised the club’s decision to re-sign Cristiano Ronaldo and Paul Pogba.
Klopp is regarded as one of Liverpool’s greatest ever managers, having ended the club’s 30-year wait for a league title and also won the Champions League at Anfield.
The German enjoyed a fruitful nine-year spell on Merseyside but has revealed he could have taken a different path and joined Manchester United in 2013
Old Trafford bosses contacted Klopp that year to see if he would be interested in succeeding Sir Alex Ferguson, who announced he would retire after almost 30 years in the job.
United won 13 Premier League titles, two Champions Leagues and nine domestic cups under Fergie but it has been a different story since he stepped down.
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David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Erik ten Hag all tried and failed to deliver the Premier League title and Manchester United finished just 14th last season under current boss Ruben Amorim.
Klopp rejected the Red Devils as it was the ‘wrong time, the wrong moment’ to leave Borussia Dortmund, but he also had reservations about the football project he was sold by the United hierarchy.
‘In the year when Sir Alex retired, they spoke to me,’ Klopp said on The Diary of a CEO podcast. ‘Of course, they were interested at one point.
‘At that time, I would have been interested, I was young – I had a sensational team at Dortmund. They probably thought, “What is he doing there?”
‘United tried [to approach me]. It was wrong time, wrong moment. I had a contract at Dortmund and wouldn’t have left for anybody. They wanted a new manager and I was one of a few options I think.’
Asked if he rejected Manchester United or they decided to go in a different direction, Klopp added: ‘There were some things in the conversations that I didn’t like.
‘The idea was that big – “We get all the players we want, we get him, we get him” – and I was sitting there thinking this is not my project. It was the wrong time but on top of that it was not my project.’
Manchester United’s transfer business since Fergie’s departure has been slammed, with a number of high-profile stars flopping at Old Trafford.
United re-signed Pogba for £89m in 2016 and welcomed all-time great Ronaldo back to the club in 2021.
Discussing those questionable moves, Klopp said: ‘I didn’t want to bring back Pogba, he was a sensational player but these things don’t work usually.
‘Or Cristiano, we all know he’s the best player, together with [Lionel[ Messi, in the world but bringing back never helps.
‘In 2013, it was not about Cristiano, maybe about Paul, I’m not even sure, but the idea is we bring the best players together and then let’s go.’
Klopp was not sold by Manchester United but was excited by the ‘pure football project’ he was able to take over at Liverpool in 2016.
‘Then, a pure football project comes up with Liverpool,’ he continued. ‘And a sensational talk with [Liverpool co-owner] Mike Gordon.
‘That was really important as well. After that talk, I wanted to be his friend. He’s such a good guy.’
Manchester United have won the odd cup since Ferguson walked away but the general trajectory has been downward.
Asked if he has any theories on why United have struggled, Klopp said: ‘I didn’t think for a second since I joined Liverpool about what Man United did right or wrong.
‘At that moment, I buy into Liverpool and you become our “opponent”, one that is more fun to beat than others.
‘With Everton, I know so many Everton fans in Liverpool, I lived their for nine years, great people. But then you go to the game and it’s something different. I don’t make that up, it’s like that.
‘Always in football, like in life, you have a problem and you only try to find a solution for now knowing you have another problem two days later.
‘But just find a solution for that problem – there’s no point looking to the mid or long-term.
‘At United, we deal with it for a year or two and then we can make a big step. Because you’re in such a rush because you want or have to win the next game. When United were not happy, they would buy the time.
‘The only problem you have now, in the time you tried to solve your problems all the other clubs have improved their situations.
‘Liverpool have an incredible squad, Arsenal incredible squad, City is City, Chelsea – in that time when everyone’s thinking do they have an overview of the transfer market, do they know who they own and loan and stuff like that – somehow it pays off.
‘Already there are four, five clubs above you – but are you happy with position six? No. And there’s the problem.’
Manchester United put their current malaise to one side on Sunday and beat Premier League champions Liverpool 2-1 at Anfield.
It was United’s first win at Anfield in nine years – and their first time they have won back-to-back league games under Amorim – and inflicted a fourth straight defeat on struggling Liverpool.
‘It’s such a huge win for the manager,’ Old Trafford legend Rooney said on his BBC podcast. ‘I’ve questioned decisions, I’ve questioned tactics, I’ve questioned players’ desire over this season and last season.
‘That win is massive. To win at Anfield is not easy to do. The confidence that gives the players and the manager, I’ll be the first to say he got it absolutely spot on.
‘I hope we see more of it. Two points off Liverpool now. I really liked the performance and we know the players can do it, we have to see this on a consistent level.’
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