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During his tenure as Borussia Dortmund’s head coach, Jürgen Klopp came remarkably close to securing the signatures of two footballers who would later become international superstars. The German tactician has now revealed the details behind why both deals ultimately collapsed.

Speaking as a pundit for MagentaTV, the former Bundesliga-winning manager shared that Kevin De Bruyne and Sadio Mané were both on the verge of joining Borussia Dortmund during his time at the club. He explained that negotiations for De Bruyne were particularly advanced, saying the Belgian midfielder was practically ready to move to Dortmund in the summer of 2013. “He is a top, top player. And I practically already had him in Dortmund,” Klopp recalled.

According to Klopp, Borussia Dortmund and Chelsea had already agreed on the transfer terms. However, then-Chelsea manager José Mourinho intervened and blocked the move. “Jose didn’t want it,” Klopp said. Mourinho had reportedly told his player, “Come on, boy, stay at Chelsea a little longer and give it a try.” In retrospect, the decision did not favour De Bruyne, who struggled for playing time under Mourinho and left for VfL Wolfsburg in early 2014.

At Wolfsburg, De Bruyne blossomed into one of the Bundesliga’s standout players, which led to his subsequent transfer to Manchester City. In England, he has gone on to become one of his generation’s most successful footballers, collecting multiple Premier League titles and a Champions League trophy. Klopp admitted he still regrets missing the opportunity to coach him. “The good relationship we truly have today comes from the fact that we really wanted to work together back then. Unfortunately, it never happened,” the former Dortmund boss said, adding, “That was a real shame. He would have been very good for us.”

Alongside De Bruyne, Klopp also discussed Sadio Mané, another player he once hoped to bring to Dortmund. The Senegalese star, now a Champions League winner, even travelled to meet the club for discussions. However, Klopp admitted he misinterpreted Mané’s demeanour at the time. “I misunderstood it. He was insecure, and I read it the wrong way. Then I thought he wasn’t ready yet.”

Instead of joining Dortmund, Mané moved to Southampton, where his performances quickly proved Klopp’s initial judgment wrong. The manager later corrected his mistake by signing the forward for Liverpool, with whom he went on to win both the Champions League and the Premier League title.