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Klopp confirms 2013 talks with ´chatty´ Napoli president De Laurentiis

SoccerNews in English Premier League 10 Dec 2018

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Jurgen Klopp confirmed he once held talks with Napoli’s “chatty” president Aurelio De Laurentiis about potentially becoming the club’s coach prior to joining Liverpool.

De Laurentiis has previously spoken of his admiration for Klopp and reports have suggested they discussed a possible collaboration in 2013, when the German was still at Borussia Dortmund.

Rafael Benitez ended up taking the job and Klopp stayed put, but ahead of Tuesday’s crunch Champions League clash against Napoli, the Liverpool manager admitted such a conversation took place.

When asked about De Laurentiis’ claims and whether he wants to coach in Italy one day, Klopp said: “I still have a contract here, three and a half years, so I am not sure if anybody wants me after that. 

“I like Italy, I like Italian food, everything is fine, unfortunately I don’t speak your language [Italian] that well. That’s a problem.

“What I like about Mr De Laurentiis is that he doesn’t hide with information. He is quite chatty. I don’t think I ever told anyone about that talk, but he mentions it all the time.

“I think he is happy with all the choices he made. Bringing Maurizio Sarri in was incredible and now Carlo [Ancelotti] is outstanding. They are happy with the coaches they have and have had.

“I am happy and at the moment the people are happy with me, and we don’t have to think about changing anything.”

Liverpool go into Tuesday’s match at Anfield knowing they must win to have any chance of sealing a place in the knockout phase, with Napoli and Paris Saint-Germain above them in the Group C before kick-off.

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