Jurgen Klopp invited ‘exceptional’ midfielder to his house and tried to sign him for Liverpool in 2016

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Jurgen Klopp left Liverpool this summer as one of the Anfield side’s most successful managers of all-time.

The German coach won virtually everything during his nine years on Merseyside with Klopp building one of the most exciting and entertaining sides the Premier League has ever seen spearheaded by the likes of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino.

With Virgil van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Alisson Becker also playing huge roles in Klopp’s ultimate Liverpool squad, many fans will have fond memories of this team for many years to come as the Anfield legend won the Premier League and UEFA Champions League.

And a star Serie A midfielder has now said Klopp invited him to his house in 2016 to try and sign him for Liverpool.

Klopp invited Piotr Zielinski to Liverpool to convince him to join

Speaking to FootTruck, Inter Milan midfielder Piotr Zielinski revealed that Liverpool sent a private jet for him to Klopp’s house in an attempt to sign the Polish international from Udinese back in 2016, a move that ultimately failed.

Zielinski said when asked about meeting Klopp: “Jurgen Klopp invited me to his house. Liverpool sent a private jet to pick me up. I was shocked because it was my first trip with this means of transport. When we landed, we took the bus to go to Jurgen Klopp’s house. It was a building, it had everything there.

“The conversation went very well. Klopp said that for him I was a mix between Fabregas and Gundogan. I didn’t understand anything, but my agent, who spoke German, told me everything. When we were leaving I managed to take a picture with Klopp who was at the door and greeted us.

“They offered €18.5m (£15.50m), but Udinese wanted something more. However, Liverpool could not cross a certain limit with me because I was not yet a top player. The downside, however, is that I didn’t feel like it either. I don’t think it had any effect. There was no serious scandal. I was young, stupid, unconscious and that’s how it ended. But this had no effect.”

Zielinski would have been an outstanding signing for Liverpool

Zielinski has been linked with a move to Liverpool for quite some time, with the former Serie A champion this summer ending any hope of a move to Anfield by moving to Inter as a free-agent after leaving Napoli.

Yet there’s no denying that had Liverpool won the race for Zielinski back in 2016, the Polish midfielder would have been one of the many outstanding signings made during the Klopp era of the Premier League giants.

Indeed, Zielinski has been one of the best midfielders in Serie A for almost a decade, and at Liverpool, the 30-year-old would likely to still be part of the squad under Arne Slot had Klopp got his wish in 2016 to bring the midfielder to Anfield.