Pep Lijnders reveals how Jurgen Klopp persuaded him to join Man City – after Pep Guardiola called up his old rival for references on the ex-Liverpool No 2

Pep Lijnders has revealed the extent to which Jurgen Klopp urged him to accept Pep Guardiola’s offer of becoming Manchester City’s assistant manager last summer.

While seeking a successor to Juanma Lillo, Guardiola called Klopp and others for references on the former Liverpool No 2.

Lijnders had an almost decade-long association with Liverpool and was a key man for Klopp as they battled with City for silverware.

But after talks with Klopp and Guardiola, he had no qualms taking up the role. ‘When I spoke with Jurgen he was so clear,’ Lijnders said. ‘He said: “If you don’t do it, I will take the assistant job!”

‘The moment Pep called, and the feeling he gave me about what he wanted to do with the team, that made the decision much easier.

‘You cannot put away 10 years of Liverpool that easily. But I’m really proud to come to a club of this magnitude, so successful over the last 10 years and with a manager who defined football.

Lijnders, pictured with Guardiola last August, has appeared key to Manchester City’s new-look team, focused more on direct attacking play while retaining the Spaniard’s principles

‘I felt the call coming because he asked a few people and it always comes back in the football world. The feeling was straight away really good. It was not a difficult decision.’

Lijnders has appeared key to City’s new-look team, focused more on direct attacking play while retaining Guardiola’s principles. He will be back at Anfield next Sunday but City must beat Tottenham today to keep the pressure on Arsenal.

The 43-year-old has had two brief spells as a manager, at NEC Nijmegen and RB Salzburg, and believes he can identify what sets Guardiola apart.

‘Pep knows exactly what he wants and with the good managers, it is about their love, in my opinion, for their team,’ the Dutchman added.

‘You always have people who are geniuses in how to prepare a team, but the quality lies in how you touch the heart of the players, how you convince them to play in a certain way.

‘The best ones are like that. Tiger Woods, all these guys, they push themselves to the limit.’