Pep Lijnders left Liverpool before finding his way to Manchester City, but former boss Jurgen Klopp would never follow his lead
Jurgen Klopp the head coach / manager of Liverpool and Pep Guardiola the head coach / manager of Manchester City reacts at full time during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Liverpool
Jurgen Klopp has claimed he will never manage another Premier League team other than Liverpool(Image: Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA, Getty Images)
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Jurgen Klopp's former assistant, Pep Lijnders, has revealed how the ex-Liverpool boss helped persuade him to take his current job at Manchester City. Lijnders joined as assistant manager under Pep Guardiola at City last summer, having built a reputation as Klopp's reliable right-hand man at Anfield.
The Dutchman left Anfield alongside Klopp in 2024 and, after a short spell at Red Bull Salzburg, was open to returning to the Premier League. Considering his Merseyside ties, City might have seemed an unlikely destination.
However, the chance to work alongside Guardiola ultimately proved too tempting to resist as Lijnders joined Liverpool's Premier League rivals - with Klopp's full endorsement. The City assistant has now revealed that he spoke to Klopp while mulling over City's job offer, with the Red Bull head of global soccer showing his class as he urged his former colleague not to pass up the opportunity in front of him.
"Pep's brilliant, of course," said Lijnders. "He has a passion and a game-understanding from a different planet, in my opinion. The moment Pep called, the feeling was straight away really good. It was not a difficult decision.
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"You cannot put away 10 years of Liverpool that easily, but I'm really proud to come to a club of this magnitude, so successful over the last 10 years and with a manager that defined football. When I spoke with Jurgen he was so clear: 'If you don't do it, I will take the assistant job!'"
Klopp himself has made his position abundantly clear in the past, saying he will categorically not return to England to manage any club besides Liverpool: "I will not manage a club or a country at least for a year, that's not possible.
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"I cannot do that and I don't want to. That's all. What I know definitely – I will never, ever manage a different club in England than Liverpool, 100 per cent. That's not possible."
Guardiola's relentless pursuit of excellence was part of what attracted Ljinders. He added: "The best ones are like that, Tiger Woods, all these guys, they push themselves to limits.
"He's constantly searching for that – very professional, very ambitious, wants to make impact every day.
Jurgen Klopp the head coach / manager of Liverpool and Pep Ljinders assistant head coach / manager of Liverpool during the Carabao Cup Final match between Chelsea and Liverpool
Pep Ljinders joined City on Klopp's recommendation (Image: Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA, Getty Images)
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"But I always say his biggest strength is the passion he has for his team, the passion he has for us, his love for his backroom staff, how he treats everyone and that family feeling inside this club.
Lijnders' immediate focus is City's fixture at Tottenham on Sunday. Yet they travel to a considerably more familiar venue, Anfield, the following weekend, and the Dutchman insists his loyalties won't be divided.
"No, I'm a professional," said Ljinders when questioned about where his allegiances lie. "When I go to Anfield it will be special – maybe more special for my family than me – but my mindset is to win and to try to beat them."