“We might have considered him” - Jurgen Klopp speaks up on the reason Liverpool opted against signing Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has revealed why he did not move to sign Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic during his time at Anfield. The German revealed that he might have considered the well-traveled striker at the time but did not due to his time with the Reds' fierce rivals Manchester United.

Only 12 players in history have played for both sides due to the animosity between the two sides. The clubs maintain a rivalry that dates back to the Industrial Revolution and with 137 major trophies between them, they represent the pinnacle of sporting success in English football.

Speaking with Swedish publication Sportbladet, Jurgen Klopp said of the big Swede:

"If he hadn't played for Manchester United, then we might have considered him. I'm not even sure he would have wanted to play here - we're a pretty intense team. With that said, I couldn't have had more respect for Zlatan."

"I love his whole career, love his efforts, love his confidence. While it may not always be right, it is entertaining anyway. He's a fantastic character and I really hope he doesn't stop playing football. The world would miss him too much."

Zlatan Ibrahimovic played 53 games for Liverpool's archrivals Manchester United, scoring 29 goals and assisting 10 more. He also helped the Manchester outfit win the UEFA Europa League and the Carabao Cup.

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What ex-Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp said about former Manchester United star Zlatan Ibrahimovic in 2021

Former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp hailed former Manchester United striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic as a "man for exceptional moments" in 2021. The Swede played for an impressive selection of clubs across Europe, including Inter Milan, Juventus, Barcelona, AC Milan, and Manchester United, in a career that saw him bag 496 goals and 202 assists in 827 club games.

Speaking before he faced AC Milan in the 2021 edition of the UEFA Champions League, where the striker returned before his retirement, Klopp said (via Eurosport):

"Zlatan, what a player. I think I saw a few videos of him when he got injured, and then I saw him fighting back on the spinning bike. He came on in the last game and scored immediately."

The former Liverpool boss concluded:

"He is the man for exceptional moments in the game... Zlatan is one of the best to have ever played the game and he knows that. That is the confidence he brings to the game. Some careers maybe ended too early because there was still some fuel in the tank but he squeezes every drop out of his body."

Zlatan Ibrahimovic retired from professional football in 2023.