Liverpool defender Andy Robertson has admitted he feels a sense of relief after breaking the secret that he will leave the club this summer. It was confirmed on Thursday night that the Scotland international will bid farewell to the Reds at the close of the season after a trophy-filled nine years on Merseyside. And the 32-year-old says he has kept the news a secret for the last two months.
Yet the full-back, who joined from then-relegated Hull City for £8million, insists he will never consider himself an Anfield legend despite winning every major trophy imaginable at the club. He told the official Liverpool website: "I think I feel better now that it's out in the open. The hardest bit [in] the last certainly couple of weeks and months is some people that are close to me in the training ground don't know and more importantly, the fans.
"The closer it gets, the more and more questions you start to get. I've always said that the fans are the most important people at this club and I just think now is the time to tell them what's going on and that obviously this will be my last year.
"I just think it's better being out in the open, that now I can fully focus on the team from now until the end of the season. I think it's important that I do that, I've always done that."
"But the time to have the emotional farewell and tell the fans and the people connected to this club what they mean to me, that will come closer to the end. I don't think I'm quite ready for that yet. It's just to try to get it out there so I can now be open and honest with everyone."
The Scotland captain added: "I'll let other people say if I'm a Liverpool legend or not – I think you know me well enough that I will never accept that. But from minute one I came into this football club, I wanted to be successful.
"I wanted to try to bring trophies back to this football club, try to help put us back onto a place where I believe this football club belongs. I'm very proud that I've been a part of fantastic teams that have been able to do that. The club means everything to me. The people within the club mean the world to me.
"The fans have always taken to me. I always remember my debut against Crystal Palace when I was a relative nobody – obviously signing from Hull City, only £8million. I played my debut and already the Kop had sung my name. It was a moment I couldn't quite believe.
"Then the next three months I'm not seen again, which I remind Jurgen [Klopp] of quite a lot. When I found my chance, that's what kept me going in that time and when I got my chance I just wanted to make the people within this club and the supporters proud of the left-back they're seeing performing week in, week out.
"They have been outstanding with me, unbelievable with me. Always supported me, always been so positive about me. I couldn't have asked for a better fan base. I couldn't have asked for better people within the training ground, keeping me going. The nine years, I'll look back with a big smile on my face. I do get emotional at times.
"Now is not that time but saying goodbye to everyone will be difficult. But it's also the time to do so and it's also something to celebrate with the nine years we've all had together."