Dominik Szoboszlai admits moving to Liverpool was the 'perfect' next step in his career. The attacking midfielder's £60m deal was confirmed on Sunday, officially ending Newcastle's short-lived interest in the player.
The Magpies liked what they saw in Szoboszlai at RB Leipzig but ultimately decided against triggering the player's release clause or tabling a bid for the 22-year-old. Newcastle instead focused on securing a deal for Sandro Tonali, which should be announced in the coming days.
Liverpool pounced to get their man, with manager Jurgen Klopp personally phoning Szoboszlai to get the deal done in a swift fashion. “It’s really, really good. I enjoyed the last [few] days and I’m looking forward to knowing everybody better," he said.
READ MORE: Former Newcastle hero insists Sandro Tonali will take a 'step backwards' by leaving AC Milan
"The last three or four days went really long; it was not that easy. But at the end I’m here, I’m happy and I can’t wait to get started. [A] really historic club, really good players, good coach, everything is good. For me it was perfect to make the next step in a club like this. The fans, the stadium, everything is really good.
“Klopp? Yes, he called me — it’s true. I said: ok, this is going to be a very good thing. Everything was perfect”.
Szoboszlai made his feelings clear on Klopp back in 2020, labelling him the best in the world. "I really like Klopp, the kind of person he is," he told Csisztu Sport Cast. "The way he fires up his whole team is incredible. He can get them back up from zero and help them achieve anything. For me, he is the best manager."
Newcastle are close to sealing the deal for Tonali and are beginning to look for options in other areas of the pitch. Eddie Howe wants two or three 'elite' signings to instantly upgrade his starting XI.
