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Georginio Wijnaldum has admitted Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp is “always on your case” - but said it has been the making of him as a player.

Wijnaldum joined Liverpool from Newcastle in the summer of 2016 for £25million and has established himself as one of Klopp’s most reliable players.

The Dutch star could have joined Tottenham, but said he made the right choice in moving to Liverpool and credited Klopp with transforming him.

“I’ve certainly grown as a player during my time here,” said Wijnaldum. “The expectations are so high at such a big club and that drives you on to become better.

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“I can’t speak for every player but I have a good relationship with him [Klopp]. He has helped me a lot.

“He can be hard, because he’s always on your case and saying what he thinks. But he’s honest and I like that.

“It’s always in the right way, always for the right reasons. It’s not to make you feel bad or anything like that.

“He’s really hard but, on the other side, he keeps your confidence high. He says that mistakes are just part of football.

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“I remember against Leicester I made a mistake and it led to a goal. He wasn’t angry about the mistake, he was more angry about my reaction afterwards.

“He thought I was too busy thinking about it rather than just putting it behind me.”

Wijnaldum, 27, joined Liverpool as an attacker, but Klopp has turned him into an effective deeper-lying midfielder, one with greater defensive responsibility.

The evolution is something Wijnaldum has fully embraced and is convinced has made him into an even more accomplished player.

Only Mo Salah and Roberto Firmino bettered Wijnaldum’s total of 50 starts for Liverpool last season, while he made his 100th appearance for the Reds at Chelsea last month.

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“Before I signed for Liverpool I was playing for Newcastle as a No 10,” said Wijnaldum. ”Basically, I was always attacking, I didn’t have to do much defensive work, I didn’t play as the No.6 or the No.8. Learning to play different roles has made me a more all-round midfielder.

“It makes it easier for you to play more often and it makes it easier for the manager if he has players who can be used in different positions.

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“I think I’ve shown I have the defensive discipline to play deep as the No.6 and start the build ups with my passing.

“I can also play higher up the pitch and make a difference in the opposition area. Being able to do both has helped me to play so many games.”

Spurs were keen to land Wijnaldum two years ago, but he revealed the move never materialised, despite him holding talks with boss Mauricio Pochettino.

“I had a really good conversation with Pochettino, but we didn’t come to an agreement,” Wijnaldum told the PFA. “Not just me – Newcastle also didn’t come to an agreement with Tottenham.

“When I spoke with Jurgen, he made me feel really good. He gave me a lot of confidence because he said he liked my way of playing football.

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“Three days after our meeting they had reached a deal and I didn’t think twice.

“This is one of the biggest clubs in the world. I wanted to make the transfer and I’m happy that I did.

“Everyone talks about winning something and we have to make sure we take that next step. We have the confidence that we can do it.

“You want to be able to look back and feel you were part of Liverpool’s great history – win something here and they will always remember you.

“I want to be remembered as a Liverpool player who was part of something special.”