Jurgen Klopp's former deputy has revealed that a disagreement over one of Anfield's most beloved players led to a heated exchange between the two.
Pep Lijnders, who was Klopp's right-hand man at Liverpool, was eager to elevate Conor Bradley to the first team ahead of the 2022-23 season, having closely monitored the youngster's performances at youth level and in cup matches.
Despite Lijnders' fervent appeal for Bradley to stay, Klopp maintained that the young player would gain more from a loan spell with regular playtime than being part of Liverpool's squad.
Lijnders, who has since shocked the football world this week after joining Liverpool's arch rivals Manchester City, recounted how the dispute over Bradley ignited a fiery debate with Klopp.
"I remember that I really fought, proper fought, for Conor to be our No. 2 behind Trent," Lijnders shared in the four-part documentary 'Doubters To Believers Liverpool FC: Klopp's Era'.
"I was really trying to keep him in the club because I believed that he would already be ready at that time. The club made the decision together with Jurgen get him out on loan, and it really, really upset me a lot. There were harsh words exchanged and it was probably one of the only confrontations I had with Jurgen. He won't remember it anyway but I remember it."
Jurgen Klopp may feel justified in his decision as Conor Bradley returned from a beneficial loan spell at Bolton. There, he played 53 games, netted seven times, won the EFL Trophy, and was named League One club's player of the year.
Last season saw Bradley used in conjunction with Trent Alexander-Arnold and under new coach Slot, he has remained a significant squad figure with 45 Liverpool appearances since starting out. With Alexander-Arnold having departed for Real Madrid on a free transfer, Bradley is set to vie for the right-back spot alongside new signing Jeremie Frimpong.
The dynamic duo Lijnders and Klopp had not always seen eye to eye regarding squad tactics. The Dutch assistant once implored Klopp to experiment with Alexander-Arnold as a midfielder hybrid owing to his offensive impact, even pledging "all my f*****g salary" to convince him.
Speaking to Redmen TV, he revealed that he would have been "done" if the tactical change hadn't been implemented, stating: "My idea constantly was: the best No. 6 I had in the U16s was Trent Alexander-Arnold. It's not to only have extra players inside, to have four here (in the midfield), to have the same as what Bobby Firmino did. But it's also to have Trent in a position where the ball can fly from left to right. What I said constantly to Jurgen was: 'We have to do it.''But Pep, blah blah blah" [Klopp complained]. "We have to do it."
Until I was so sick of it that I went to Jurgen in this office and said: 'Jurgen, next year you can f****** have all my f****** salary.
If we don't do it in the next game, it's done for me. I can't'."
In due course, Alexander-Arnold assumed the dual role of a right-back and midfielder, a position he also adopted during his international duty with England.
Lijnders has often been praised as a key figure behind the scenes, playing a crucial part in aiding Klopp to find additional advantages to compete in the Premier League and Europe. Joining in 2014 as a youth coach, he was promoted to the senior setup to work alongside Klopp when the German was appointed in 2015.
Both individuals left their roles in June following Klopp's resignation as head coach, with Arne Slot granted full authority to assemble his own team. While Lijnders' role as a trusted deputy was undeniable, his venture into management proved less successful - he was dismissed just six months into his tenure at Salzburg.