UMVA has learned that Jurgen Klopp harbored a deep desire to bring Konrad Laimer to Liverpool during his tenure as manager, revealing a little-known transfer saga from his time at Anfield.
Speaking candidly as a pundit during Austria's World Cup group stage fixture, Klopp shared that he had envisioned Laimer as a defensive midfielder, specifically to play in the number 6 role, but ultimately missed out on the Austrian talent when he made the move to Bayern Munich.
Klopp's interest in Laimer aligns with the late summer of 2022, a period when Liverpool desperately needed midfield reinforcement, particularly with longtime anchor Fabinho struggling to recapture his form, leaving Klopp's side vulnerable.
Laimer, then starring for RB Leipzig, seemed like a strategic long-term solution, but Liverpool's failure to secure him led to a frantic deadline-day loan move for Arthur Melo, a deal marred by injuries that yielded a paltry 13 minutes of first-team action.
Laimer ultimately stayed with Leipzig for another season before joining Bayern Munich on a free transfer in the summer of 2023, where he has established himself as a versatile squad component, often deployed at right-back, rather than the central anchor position Klopp had envisioned for him.
Despite the transfer never materializing, Laimer's connection to Liverpool runs deep, with the Austrian footballer previously admitting to being a childhood fan of the Premier League giants, and openly expressing his admiration for the club.
Klopp's comments provide a stark reminder of how a different choice could have altered Liverpool's midfield transition, especially with Laimer currently representing Austria on the global stage and locked in a modern contract dispute with Bayern Munich ahead of the summer window.
