Simon Mignolet has admitted to losing patience with life at Liverpool long before he secured a move away from Anfield.
The Belgium international was the undisputed No.1 at Anfield for a while.
Having been snapped up from Sunderland for £9 million ($11m) in the summer of 2013, he took in 204 appearances for the Reds.
Only two of those came in the 2018-19 campaign, with Liverpool having invested £65m ($81m) in landing Brazilian star Alisson.
Mignolet had already slipped behind Loris Karius in the pecking order by the time further competition arrived and found himself firmly wedged down Jurgen Klopp’s plans last season.
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The 31-year-old admits that was difficult to take, with there having been a desire on his part to secure a switch elsewhere some time before he was offered the chance to return to his homeland at Club Brugge.
Mignolet told Het Nieuwsblad on a frustrating end to a nine-year spell in English football: “After pre-season, I returned with the idea: now I am going to give everything here and I get nothing in return.
“However, that was the easy option: seeing out the remaining two years at Liverpool, making good money at a top European club and being a free agent at the age of 33.
“But another two years on the bench, that wasn't in me. I had been at the end of my patience for the past six or seven months.”
Mignolet claims that plenty of interest in his services was shown once an exit door was opened by Liverpool.
The likes of Crystal Palace, Bournemouth, Aston Villa, Porto and Benfica were all keen on doing a deal.
He was, however, to head home at the end of a protracted saga.
Even with it clear that he was surplus to requirements and that no regular game time would be afforded to him, Mignolet says Liverpool still made it tricky for him to get out.
He added: “Not difficult? I don’t dare say that!”
Mignolet has slipped straight into the starting XI at Club Brugge, taking in four domestic outings while also helping the club into the group stages of the Champions League.
