KLOPP REVEALS TRANSFER REGRET OVER HEUNG-MIN SON

Jurgen Klopp has had a remarkable career, winning Premier League, Champions League, and Bundesliga titles, but the Liverpool manager has admitted to one transfer regret: not signing Heung-min Son when he had the chance. While Klopp’s transfer record at Liverpool is largely flawless, with only a handful of moves failing due to injuries—such as Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain—there is one deal that still haunts him.

Klopp and Michael Edwards built a highly successful squad at Liverpool, making shrewd signings with a budget well below the likes of Manchester City. Despite their impressive success in the transfer market, there were always a few near-misses. One of the most notable “almost” signings was Jude Bellingham, who was heavily linked with Liverpool during Klopp’s tenure, alongside the long-standing rumors about Kylian Mbappé. However, Klopp’s biggest transfer regret goes back to his time at Borussia Dortmund.

Speaking recently in Cape Town, Klopp revealed that he had the chance to sign an exciting young talent from Hamburg—Heung-min Son. “I didn’t sign Son from Tottenham, at that time I think he was at Hamburg,” Klopp admitted. “I don’t even remember why [I didn’t sign him], and just facing him in the Premier League [later on with Liverpool], I thought ‘My God, you dumb s—!’ It’s crazy. But that’s pretty much it.”

Klopp’s regret is understandable. Son has gone on to become one of the Premier League’s most dynamic and consistent performers, especially with Tottenham Hotspur. Klopp also mentioned passing up the opportunity to sign Sadio Mané for a much lower fee when he was at Dortmund, though he did eventually bring the Senegalese winger to Liverpool, where he became one of the club’s key players. Despite these close calls, Klopp insisted he had no major regrets, even though he admitted that Kevin De Bruyne came very close to joining Borussia Dortmund—only for the deal to fall through at the last minute.

Despite the missed opportunities, Klopp’s success with his current squad, including key players like Mané, Mohamed Salah, and Roberto Firmino, has more than made up for any near-misses. However, the one that got away—Son—remains a standout memory in Klopp’s transfer history.