Klopp reveals Premier League snub

Borussia Dortmund boss Jurgen Klopp has revealed he rejected advances from the Premier League to remain at Signal Iduna Park.

The 46-year-old was strongly linked to the vacant posts at Chelsea and Manchester City in the close-season, but remained with Dortmund as Jose Mourinho and Manuel Pellegrini filled the respective roles.

Despite the chance to sign a lucrative deal in the English top flight, Klopp is content with his choice, having led Dortmund to second in the Bundesliga after nine rounds of action.

“There were some English clubs that called and wanted to speak with me,” Klopp told The Sun. “But there was no reason to talk.

“It’s only hard to understand if you always think, ‘I can go to a bigger club’.

“I’m sure you could earn much more money at one or the other English clubs or at a Chinese or Russian club, but it’s not the most important thing.

“If somebody told me two years ago, ‘Some time they will you call you’, I would have said, ‘Impossible’. And then they called and it was nothing.

“In life you have to be at the right place at the right moment. And I am at the right place at the right moment.”

Klopp has seen several players leave for brighter lights, with Shinji Kagawa departing for Manchester United, and Mario Gotze joining Bayern Munich, while star striker Robert Lewandowski is widely expected to join the Bavarian giants next season.

But the former Mainz boss understands the ambitions of his playing squad, and hailed their transformation into routine title contenders.

“Players try to fulfil their dreams,” he added. “I couldn’t have dreams when I was their age. My dream was not to fall down on the pitch.

“I am 46 and have been coaching at this level for four years. I didn’t start out thinking this team could be champions.

“I didn’t think, ‘Oh, when we are champions where can I go?’ If you think about other clubs, you also have to think about what you have here. And it could not be much better anywhere else.

“It’s not possible. Because at this moment, in this stadium, with this managing director (Hans-Joachim Watzke) and this technical director (Michael Zorc), everything fits.”