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Gini Wijnaldum has revealed that it was the Jurgen Klopp factor which convinced him to snub Tottenham and Everton before completing a £25million move to Liverpool.

The Dutch international was a man in demand this summer after suffering relegation from the Premier League with Newcastle United.

Spurs offered Champions League football and fellow countryman Ronald Koeman wanted him at Goodison, but a meeting with the Reds boss convinced the attacking midfielder that Anfield was the right destination for him.

Their discussion ended with Wijnaldum enthused about the prospect of being part of the Reds' bright future under Klopp.

“In that conversation he made me feel really good,” Wijnaldum said.

“He gave me a lot of confidence because he said he liked my way of playing football. He said I was a person he really wanted to have in his squad.

“Something like that is always good to hear. It made me happy, especially as it came from such a great trainer like Jurgen Klopp.

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“He showed how good he is at Dortmund with all the success he had. It's always great when a trainer of that kind of ability says he needs you in his team.

“There was interest from Everton but Liverpool had more interest. Jurgen gave me a good feeling in that conversation. Straight after that I had the feeling that I wanted to come to Liverpool.

“Of course Liverpool is a big club with a good history. Everyone knows that. But there had to be a match.

“He's in charge and if a great trainer like him wants you then it gives you more confidence to come to a club like this.”

Rafa said Liverpool 'is a big club'

Wijnaldum, who penned a five-year contract, linked up with the squad in California on Saturday and took part in his first training session just hours later.

Rafa Benitez had been desperate to keep him at Newcastle to help fuel their promotion push back to the Premier League.

But the 25-year-old told the former Reds boss he just couldn't turn down the chance to work with Klopp.

“Rafa just said that Liverpool is a big club,” Wijnaldum said.

“The biggest thing he said was that he wanted to keep me for Newcastle.

(Image: 2016 Liverpool FC)

“He didn't want to sell me but he said that if a great offer came in they would think about it. He wanted to keep me there.

“He didn't say: 'You need to go to Liverpool' because he wanted me to stay at Newcastle.”

Part of the attraction for Klopp was Wijnaldum's versatility. He has spoken about the new boy being able to operate in one of the two holding roles or the three advanced positions in his favoured 4-2-3-1 formation.

Wijnaldum, who scored 11 goals last season, is simply happy to feature wherever the manager believes his talents are best utilised.

“Jurgen is in charge and he will decide who's going to play,” he said.

“We as players must make it difficult for him. Everyone wants to play, we need to train well and then he will decide on the line up.

“For me it's good that I can play in more positions because that makes it easier for the coach and also easier to play.

“But it's down to each of us to force our way into the team. You do that by performing well on the training field. And showing the manager you deserve to play.”

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