Virgil Van Dijk said: “I had the chance to go to Chelsea and Man City. When you compare the clubs, you look at the history, the town, the current squad, their plans for the near future. But the most important thing you look at is the manager – and Jurgen Klopp is an important reason why I chose for Liverpool. Klopp has something special. Is it his energy? Is it his overall image? I sometimes sit and think about what he does and what he has more than others. I think it is his man-management. These days that is more important than anything in football. Klopp gives you this great feeling. He is genuinely happy when you walk into the club in the morning. It may sound daft, but that really inspires you as a player. He gives every player a hug after the game. It might be a really small detail, yet it feels good for every player. And the next day, he can hammer you in front of the squad in training. But then you accept that too. Because you know it is not personal. That way he can demand a lot from us.”
Liverpool’s Virgin Van Dijk has revealed the reason he turned down a move to Manchester City in order to join Liverpool. Things could have been different for the 28-year-old though, with van Dijk admitting that he had the chance to join both City and Chelsea before settling on Liverpool. The Dutchman became the world’s most expensive defender back in January 2018 when he made the move to Anfield from Southampton in a £75million deal. And the defender has revealed that Jurgen Klopp was the biggest factor in him choosing a move to Anfield.