Jurgen Klopp explains decision to snub Man Utd and instead take Liverpool job as he reveals being deterred by plan to bring back Cristiano Ronaldo

Manchester United replaced Sir Alex with David Moyes when the legendary Scot stepped down but had approached Klopp about the position. The former Liverpool boss says he thinks he was one of several options on the club's shortlist but that the vacancy arose at the wrong time. He told Steven Bartlett on The Diary of a CEO podcast: "In the year when Sir Alex retired, they spoke to me. Of course, they were interested at one point. At that time, I would have been interested, I was young - I had a sensational team at Dortmund. They probably thought, 'what is he doing there?'

"Later on I heard that my [Liverpool] players - James Milner and Adam Lallana - they flew to Real Madrid when we [Dortmund] had a semi-final there in the Champions League just to watch us play. 'What is Dortmund doing? What football that is?' I mean, you cannot get a bigger compliment.

"United tried [to approach me]. It was the wrong time, wrong moment. I had a contract at Dortmund and wouldn't have left for anybody. They wanted a new manager and I was one of a few options I think."

Klopp also went on to explain that one of the reasons that put him off the United job was the plan to bring high-profile players - such as Paul Pogba and Ronaldo - back to Old Trafford. He added: "There were some things in the conversations that I didn't like. The idea was that big - 'we get all the players you want, we get him, and him, and him - and I was sitting there like... yeah, this is not my type of project. It was the wrong time but on top of that it was not my project. I didn't want to bring back Pogba, he was a sensational player but these things don't work usually. Or Cristiano, we all know he's the best player, together with [Lionel] Messi, in the world but bringing back never helps."

The former Dortmund boss also says that style of play was never discussed: "No, not at all. I was sat there and was like 'that's not for me'. And then a pure football project comes up with Liverpool."

Klopp went on to enjoy great success with Liverpool, winning Premier League, FA Cup, League Cup and Champions League titles before stepping away. He has since taken on a role as the Head of Global Soccer at Red Bull and had appeared to have called time on his managerial career. However, Klopp now admits that while he has said previously he'd never coach a team in England again, it is "theoretically" possible he could make a future return to Liverpool.

Arne Slot, Klopp's successor at Liverpool, won the Premier League in his first season at Anfield but is under scrutiny currently. Defeat to Manchester United at Anfield on Sunday made it four straight losses for the Reds in all competitions. Liverpool will aim to return to winning ways in the Champions League on Wednesday against Eintracht Frankfurt and then head to Brentford on Saturday in the Premier League.