**Former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has revealed he turned down an approach from Manchester United following Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement.**
The then Borussia Dortmund boss was a candidate to replace Ferguson back in 2013, before the job went to David Moyes.
But Klopp has revealed he turned down the approach from the club, because it was not the “right time” or the right situation for him.
“In the year when Sir Alex retired, they spoke to me,” he told the The Diary of a CEO podcast.
“Of course, they were interested at one point. At that time, I would have been interested. I was young, I had a sensational team at Dortmund. They probably thought what is he doing there?
“United tried (to approach me). It was the wrong time, wrong moment. I had a contract at Dortmund and wouldn’t have left for anybody. They wanted a new manager and I was one of a few options I think.
“There were some things in the conversations that I didn’t like. The idea was ‘we get all the players we want, we get him, we get him’ and I was sitting there thinking, this is not my project. It was the wrong time but on top of that it was not my project.”
Klopp, who would later go on to manage United’s rivals Liverpool for nine years and won the Premier League and Champions League with the club, also says he was not convinced by the club’s transfer plans.
“I didn’t want to bring back Pogba, he was a sensational player but these things don’t work usually,” he said. “Or Cristiano, we all know he’s the best player, together with (Lionel) Messi, in the world but bringing back never helps.
“In 2013, it was not about Cristiano, maybe about Paul, I’m not even sure, but the idea is we bring the best players together and then let’s go.
“Then, a pure football project comes up with Liverpool. And a sensational talk with Mike Gordon. That was really important as well. After that talk, I wanted to be his friend. He’s such a good guy.”