- Klopp says Gotze is better than anybody he’s coached
- German has managed the likes of Coutinho, Lewandowski & Salah
- Liverpool failed to sign him in 2016, buying Mane instead
- SEE MORE: Mario Gotze has been told to stop playing football
During the international break, Jurgen Klopp is spending time in South Africa and last night gave a talk to the Soccer Laduma conference.
The boss was asked many questions, but the one which has generated the most interest today is one on ‘the best player he’s ever worked with’.
According to the Metro, Liverpool’s manager’s answer was instant and unequivocal.
“Mario Gotze,” he said. “He was unbelievable!”
The German playmaker is now back at Borussia Dortmund, following a three year stint at Bayern Munich in which he won three Bundesliga titles but was ultimately a failure personally.
During his first spell at Dortmund, a teenage Gotze won back to back titles under Klopp and established himself as probably the most exciting youngster in Europe.
But his head was turned by Pep Guardiola and Bayern, where he ultimately fell out of the starting XI, despite World Cup heroics for Germany in 2014.
Klopp went all out to sign Gotze in 2016, but the attacker turned us down and thankfully, Liverpool signed Sadio Mane instead.
Many Reds were disappointed at the time, but Gotze has gone on to suffer health problems and a loss of elite form, while Mane has gone from strength to strength and is undeniably the better player now.