Jurgen Klopp has turned into a cult hero on Merseyside, and new comments from Robbie Fowler will endear him to the Kop faithful even more.
In his column in the Mirror, Fowler said that Klopp had a couple of other options on the table before eventually opting for Liverpool in 2015.
"I did an interview with him a couple of years ago and he told me he turned down a couple of super-rich clubs after Dortmund – one of them was definitely Manchester United, the other probably Real Madrid – because he hated how they were focused solely on commercial influences," said Fowler.
"He said he liked Liverpool because they had a balance between the money needed to reach the top and the history and identity of the club and their fans."
The interview in question came before the Champions League final last season, and while Klopp stopped short of mentioning the clubs by name, he did expand on what Fowler said.
"I had talks with other clubs and they didn't sound like a football club," said the German. "It sounded like marketing, image, you need to sign this, you need to sign that. And I thought 'wow, that's not the game I love.'
"It's all part of football, but it cannot be the number one, two, three, four priority. First of all please try to improve the game we play."
Klopp was reportedly targeted by Sir Alex Ferguson as a potential successor to him back in 2013, but turned down the job out of loyalty to Dortmund, leaving United to appoint David Moyes instead.
Speaking to the Guardian in 2016, he said: "There was a time [when United were interested] but I could not leave Dortmund. That's it.
“I didn't hear about a real offer but if there was, I couldn't have done it. I first had to finish the job with Dortmund and then think about other things. Maybe that's not the smart way but that's my way. Of course I was loyal to Dortmund. It was the same at Mainz.”
Now read...
Jurgen Klopp exclusive: Steven Gerrard should replace me as Liverpool manager one day
The 5 key moments that have defined Jurgen Klopp's four years at Liverpool
