The 35-year-old Finland international, who will join Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen in the close season, explained on Tuesday his amicable departure from Liverpool.
"The main reason is I still think I'm young enough to play football and I know chances to play here would be limited," he told the club's website.
"I understand it isn't possible to play enough games here for me to be happy, so I had to look elsewhere.
"I got the option to go abroad to Bayer Leverkusen. The whole package was good, they have big plans for me and hopefully I can go there and help them to be successful."
"Coaching is something which has always been in my mind, but I have to take my badges first," he said. "At the end of my playing career I will look to take the badges and then see. I would like to come back here one day as a coach."
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