German striker Max Kruse has revealed he could have joined Liverpool in 2019, but a Divock Origi goal changed everything.
Kruse has been speaking to the Flatterball podcast, which he runs alongside former Werder Bremen striker Martin Harnik, with his comments relayed by Deichstube.
Now 36-years-old, Kruse is playing for BSV Al-Dersimspor II in Germany after something of a career break since the end of November 2023.
He’s enjoyed a varied career in Germany to date, starting out at Reinbek Youth and SC Vier- und Marschlande U19 before joining Werder Bremen in 2006.
He would spend three years at the club before moving to St Pauli, then SC Freiburg, Borussia Monchengladbach and VfL Wolfsburg before a return to Bremen in 2016.
Another three-year spell followed before he ended up in Turkey, joining Fenerbahce on a free transfer before eventually heading back to Germany a year later.
Things could have been very different for him, though, with Kruse revealing that Liverpool had also inquired about signing him that summer.
Unfortunately for him, though, a goal from Divock Origi ended up changing everything despite him speaking to Jurgen Klopp personally.
“In February or March 2019 I got a phone call from Jürgen Klopp,” he said.
“It’s the truth! He said he was interested because they wanted to give up two strikers and wanted me as a backup for Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mané and Roberto Firmino.
“When you get that call, there’s no way for you to say, ‘I’m deciding today to extend my contract’ when you have even the small percentage of opportunity to play for Liverpool. As a footballer, when you hear that name, everything turns off.
“I played poker back then. And it didn’t work. In the end it became Fenerbahçe Istanbul. Back then, Liverpool was delayed until the Champions League final. After that, they wanted to keep the transfer candidate Divock Origi (Origi scored the second goal in the Champions League final).
“I sent Klopp a photo with my shisha from vacation. And then the topic was over.”
