Jurgen Klopp Admits Missing Out on ‘World-Class’ Star Was His ‘Biggest Mistake’ at Liverpool

The Jurgen Klopp era at Liverpool was defined by immense success, smart recruitment, and a wealth of trophies. Yet, despite all the glory, Klopp once admitted that failing to sign one particular Premier League superstar was “the biggest mistake” of his career.

During his 489-game spell at Anfield, which peaked between 2018 and 2020 when he led Liverpool to both the Premier League and Champions League titles, Klopp built a footballing dynasty. His departure in the summer paved the way for Arne Slot, who has since enjoyed a strong start — thanks largely to the foundations Klopp established since his arrival from Borussia Dortmund in 2015.

Widely regarded as one of football’s greatest motivators, the Stuttgart-born manager worked with some of the Premier League’s most lethal attackers, including Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mané. But in 2022, speaking to KBS News, Klopp confessed that one of the biggest regrets of his career was failing to sign Tottenham Hotspur captain Son Heung-min — a player who has since racked up an incredible 172 goals and 92 assists in 441 appearances for Spurs.

Later that same year, while serving as Red Bull’s Global Sports Director, Klopp’s team faced Tottenham, though Son missed the game after undergoing surgery for a fractured eye socket. Liverpool won 2–1, but Klopp still expressed his admiration for the South Korean star, calling him “outstanding, world-class, and one of the best strikers in the world,” and lamenting once again that he had never managed to bring him to Anfield.

Tottenham, under Mauricio Pochettino, signed Son in the summer of 2015 from Bayer Leverkusen for just £22 million — a deal that has since proven a masterstroke. Over the years, Son has formed a devastating partnership with Harry Kane, earned a reputation for his relentless work rate and leadership, and established himself as one of the finest wingers in world football.

Now 32 and boasting 131 international caps and 51 goals for South Korea, Son has faced Liverpool 19 times since joining Tottenham, contributing three goals and four assists in those encounters.