Thursday 2 March 2017 10:44, UK
Borussia Dortmund forward Ousmane Dembele has revealed he rejected the chance to join Liverpool after Jurgen Klopp made a late bid to sign him last summer.
Klopp met with Dembele in an attempt to bring him to Anfield last summer but the 19-year-old told the German manager he had already made his mind up on moving from Rennes to Dortmund.
The France international, who has scored six goals for Dortmund so far this season, also said Premier League champions Leicester failed in an attempt to sign him.
"I saw Klopp in Paris but I told him I had made up my mind to sign for Dortmund," Dembele told FourFourTwo.
"I told Claudio Ranieri the same thing."
Dembele is now plying his trade at Borussia Dortmund alongside another reported Liverpool target Christian Pulisic.
The Reds have been linked with a move for the forward, who is already known to Klopp from their time together in Germany.
However, the USA international recently signed a new deal at the club until 2020 in January and is focused on succeeding at Westfalenstadion.
"I have respect for Klopp and I know him - he was very welcoming to me here - but I was never really thinking about going to Liverpool," Pulisic said.
"Dortmund have given me everything. If I work very hard here I will play and I love this club."