Former Liverpool star explains why Klopp swerved Aubameyang

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp passed up the opportunity to sign Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang because of his off-the-field behaviour, according to a former Reds star.

Arsenal signed the Gabon striker last month from Borussia Dortmund for a club-record £56m, but Klopp steered well clear of the player he managed in the Bundesliga.

Liverpool were never in the running for the front-runner and that was because he is difficult to manage, according to BBC pundit Mark Lawrenson.

Liverpool, armed with the Philippe Coutinho money, had the funds to rival Arsenal for the signing of the 28-year-old – a move which would have reunited Klopp and Aubameyang after their spell together at Dortmund.

Lawrenson though claims Aubameyang is “hard work” off the pitch and that is why Klopp never made a move for him.

Lawrenson told Football Tips via the Daily Star: “I am a big fan of his, but it’s never been suggested that Klopp was interested in him.

“So that to me suggests that Klopp thinks he’s a really good player but off the pitch he’s hard work and Klopp doesn’t like that.

“Look at (Mamadou) Sakho, in the pre-season tour of America a couple of years ago he was messing around a bit and was late for a couple of team meetings and things like that and Klopp just went, bang, no, you’re gone.

“So in Aubameyang I think Klopp looked and said ‘no, you’re a good player but not in my squad.’

“He’s the manager and he makes those decisions.

“He’s one of those players that managers worry about 24 hours a day because they get up to all sorts, as we know, some of it good and some of it bad.”

 

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