Jurgen Klopp was reportedly close to leaving Liverpool earlier than announced, only to be persuaded to stay put.
The bombshell announced came on Friday, with Klopp confirming that he will be stepping down as manager at the end of the 2023/24 season.
The German had been contracted until 2026 but felt the need for a break from football after "running out of energy".
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Liverpool are still in four competitions, including the Carabao Cup final which they qualified for on Wednesday, and so could still add to Klopp's Anfield trophy-haul.
However, a report from The Times claims he was on the verge of ending his time with the club last season.
Liverpool finished fifth in the Premier League and were knocked out of the Champions League by Real Madrid at the round of 16.
They were also eliminated from the FA Cup at the fourth round by Brighton and at one point had won just nine out of 20 league games.
Klopp is said to have felt "fatigued" in that period, with the demanding schedule proving too much.
He also knew that a rebuild was needed in order to bring the team back to its usual level and was genuinely close to calling it a day.
But it's said that his wife Ulla Sandrock, convinced him to have a rethink and he elected to stay on.
Ulla, Klopp's second wife, is believed to play a huge part in his decisions - including leaving Borussia Dortmund and turning down Manchester United.
She was also instrumental in Klopp signing a two-year contract extension back in 2022 as she did not see a departure in 2024.
But fast forward and that will now be happening, with Klopp and his staff moving on after he said he "cannot do the job again and again and again and again".
The 56-year-old stressed he will not manage another team in England and even hinted at retiring from coaching.
Topics: Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool
Josh Lawless