Jurgen Klopp was on the hunt for fresh talent following Liverpool’s 2019/20 Premier League title triumph, admitting that one star in particular piqued his interest before he joined Manchester United
Jurgen Klopp fancied Jadon Sancho to join the ranks of Liverpool before his big money move to Manchester United. The German tactician wasted no time in scouring the transfer market in the wake of the Reds’ historic 2019/20 Premier League crown, and was impressed by Sancho in particular.
The now 25-year-old broke through the Manchester City academy before signing his first professional contract with Borussia Dortmund in 2017. And given Klopp saw a wealth of success with BVB between 2008 and 2015, it comes as little surprise that he was still keeping tabs on the club’s players and performances.
After scoring 30 goals and providing 39 assists in the Bundesliga alone during his first three seasons with Dortmund, Sancho found himself linked with a move to Anfield throughout the summer of 2020, with Klopp even telling Bild Sport at the time: “A red jersey would look very good on Jadon Sancho.”
However, Klopp was also hesitant of a transfer actually coming to fruition, adding: “But I don’t think such a transfer will take place this summer. He is a very interesting player. If he moved to Liverpool, I would be the most surprised of all.”
It appears as though Klopp was correct, with Sancho spending another season in Germany – racking up another eight goals and 12 assists – before securing a £73million move to rivals United the following summer.
However, the silver lining for Liverpool fans is that Sancho has failed to adapt to the Premier League in the years since. He managed just nine goals and six assists in the English top flight during his first two-and-a-half seasons with the Red Devils, before returning to Dortmund in January 2024 on a six-month loan.
After a brief return to the north west, Sancho was then sent out on loan to Chelsea in August for the duration of the 2024/25 campaign, with the Blues obligated to pay £25m to take the winger on permanently after they secured a finish within the top 14 of the Premier League.
However, it is damning that they are reported to be considering paying the £5m penalty to ensure he doesn’t join permanently this summer.
Through 40 appearances across all competitions this season, Sancho has found the back of the net just four times and provided 10 assists for team-mates, as he continues to struggle to adapt to the pace in England.
Klopp parted ways with Liverpool, meanwhile, at the end of last season, with Dutchman Arne Slot succeeding him. And it’s been a dream campaign for the 46-year-old, who clinched the Premier League title in his maiden campaign with four games to spare thanks to a 5-1 thrashing of Tottenham last month.
The Reds will officially lift the trophy on home soil following their final game of the season with Crystal Palace on Sunday, with a sell-out Anfield in attendance.
The scenes will be a stark contrast from five years ago, when Jordan Henderson and his team-mates were forced to hoist the trophy in an empty stadium due to restrictions surrounding the coronavirus pandemic. However, Liverpool will celebrate in style this time around, with an open-top bus parade through the city also scheduled for Monday.
Hundreds of thousands of Liverpool fans are expected to line the streets of Merseyside when the tour sets off from Allerton Maze at 2.30pm on Monday.
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Sky Sports discounted Premier League and EFL package
Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £192 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.
Sky will show at least 215 live Premier League games next season, an increase of up to 100 more.
