Liverpool assistant manager Pep Lijnders has now revealed that he almost joined Manchester United in 2013.
As per an interview with FourFourTwo, the Reds coach claimed he came close to signing with the Red Devils when Alex Ferguson was in-charge, but the move eventually failed to come to fruition.
“I had been at the academy of Porto since 2007 and had started to think about a next step,” Lijnders said.
“[In 2013] I received an approach from Manchester United – Alex Ferguson and his Dutch assistant Rene Meulensteen wanted to bring me to the club. It looked really good, but a few months later Ferguson retired and the opportunity fell through.
“One year later, Liverpool showed an interest and I became their under-16s coach. After a while, I began to speak with Brendan Rodgers, who was curious how I was implementing a 3-4-3 system in my team. We got on well and in my second season [2015-16] I was asked to be one of his assistants. I learned a lot from him, although he left by the October.
“I kept my assistant role when Jurgen Klopp came in and we’ve developed a very strong bond.”
Lijnders almost joined Man United
Whilst this was probably a good proposition for the Dutchman at the time, we’re sure Lijnders is happy that it fell through, as he subsequently got the chance to join Liverpool.
Although he arrived under Rodgers, it is with Klopp whom he has thrived.
Known for his incredible understanding of the game, the German has hailed Lijnders as a ‘fantastic coach’.
Adding various tactics and insider knowledge to Liverpool’s set-up, the 39-year-old has played a crucial part in the side’s success over the last few years.
He is seemingly viewed very highly at Anfield, where he has previously been tipped to take over the manager role when Klopp’s contract expires in 2026.
Saying that, it’s strange to think Lijnders never would have joined the club if Ferguson hadn’t retired when he did.
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