‘He told me to go’: 24-year-old says Jürgen Klopp advised him to leave Liverpool in 2020

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Pedro Chirivella has been speaking to So Foot about his departure from Liverpool in 2020, and he’s shared some advice from Jürgen Klopp.

What’s the story?

Well, the 24-year-old claims that it was actually Klopp who told him to leave Anfield, although it wasn’t as malicious as it sounds.

Instead of shoving the Spaniard out of Liverpool, the German merely encouraged Chirivella to seize a new opportunity in his career.

Now at FC Nantes, Chirivella said: “Liverpool offered to extend my contract, but my last two years had been sportingly complicated. I was good when I played, but I didn’t play enough for my taste and I didn’t want to be loaned anymore.

“When Nantes came, Christian Gourcuff spoke to me. He gave me a lot of confidence. When I spoke to Klopp about this possibility, he told me to go for it, that Ligue 1 had great potential for the future. These words stayed in my head, I made that choice and today, I absolutely do not regret it.”

It’s good to hear that Klopp encouraged the midfielder to try something new, even though he was also happy to keep him at Liverpool.

Evidently, the 54-year-old cares about his players on a human level.

Has Liverpool exit paid off for Pedro Chirivella?

It certainly has.

Ligue 1’s official website has described him as a ‘key cog’ in the FC Nantes midfield, where he has undoubtedly grown as a footballer.

Chirivella has made 12 starts in Ligue 1 this season, scoring two goals while also providing one assist.

His efforts have FC Nantes sat comfortably in 10th place in France’s top-flight, and he seems to have finally found a home in football.

Chirivella always looked like a tidy player when given a chance for the Reds, so it’s no surprise to see him thriving in France.

In total, the Valencia-born maestro only made 11 appearances for Liverpool’s first-team.

However, it’s testament to his attitude and ability that Liverpool offered to extend his contract, despite his status as a fringe player.

Hopefully, the Kirkby graduate goes on to have a long, successful career.