Jurgen Klopp Reveals Three Players He Wishes He Had Signed When He Had the Opportunity

Jurgen Klopp’s Biggest Transfer Regrets: Three Stars He Wishes He Had Signed

Jurgen Klopp is widely recognized for his exceptional ability to identify and nurture footballing talent. His success in the transfer market, combined with his outstanding man-management skills, has helped shape some of the biggest stars in the game. However, despite his eye for talent, there were a few players who slipped through his grasp over the years.

Having played a crucial role in the rise of Robert Lewandowski, Mohamed Salah, and Virgil van Dijk during his time at Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool, Klopp’s transfer history could have been even more remarkable. He turned Dortmund into a Bundesliga-winning side before moving to England, where he ended Liverpool’s 30-year wait for a league title. This success was built on smart recruitment, but not every deal went his way.

During a fundraiser in Cape Town, Klopp revealed three world-class players he missed out on signing earlier in their careers.

Sadio Mané

Klopp and Mané enjoyed immense success together at Liverpool, winning both the Premier League and the Champions League. However, the German coach admitted he had the chance to sign the Senegalese forward much earlier during his time at Dortmund but passed on the opportunity. Reflecting on this missed chance, Klopp said:

*”There are some Dortmund supporters here, so I have to apologize because I didn’t sign Sadio Mané for Dortmund. I could say I was young and naive, but I wasn’t that young and not that naive.

When we signed him for Liverpool, I thought, ‘Oh my God, that’s a lot of money for a guy I could’ve had for much less three years ago.’”*

Son Heung-min

Liverpool fans are well aware that Klopp once had an interest in bringing Son Heung-min to Anfield. However, long before his rise at Tottenham, Klopp also had the chance to sign the South Korean forward while he was a promising youngster at Hamburg. Unfortunately, the deal never materialized, though Klopp admitted he couldn’t recall the exact reason why. He humorously remarked:

*”I didn’t sign Son when he was at Hamburg. I don’t even remember why.

Then I faced him in the Premier League and thought, ‘My God, you dumb s***.’”*

Kevin De Bruyne

One of Klopp’s biggest regrets involves Kevin De Bruyne, who has been a major thorn in his side during Manchester City’s dominance in the Premier League. Before becoming a key figure at City, De Bruyne had a brief and underwhelming spell at Chelsea before reviving his career at Wolfsburg. Dortmund had the chance to sign him during this period, but the move never happened. Reflecting on this, Klopp shared:

*”Again, to the Dortmund supporters, Kevin De Bruyne was that close.

Then he smashed us in the cup final with Wolfsburg. So that was a double minus.”*

While Klopp’s transfer record is filled with success stories, these three near-misses serve as a reminder that even the best managers occasionally let world-class talent slip through their fingers.