Jurgen Klopp has doubled down on his claim Martin Odegaard is a "really top player" by pointing out that the former Real Madrid midfielder has now become the footballer "everybody expected" at Arsenal.
Liverpool manager Klopp has twice now admitted he tried to sign the Norwegian when he was Borussia Dortmund boss and has recalled having a conversation with the teenager at the time.
Odegaard was plying his trade with Stromsgodset in Norway back in 2015 and was attracting huge attention from the biggest clubs in Europe. After little deliberation, the youngster opted to put pen to paper with Real Madrid.
Ahead of Liverpool's Premier League clash with the Gunners this weekend, Klopp said: "I spoke to him when he was 15 in Norway and the whole world wanted to sign him. He became the player everybody expected at that time."
Klopp revealed his admiration for Odegaard earlier in the week as he pointed out that seven years on from him trying to sign the midfielder, he is a key component in Mikel Arteta's high-flying Arsenal side.
Klopp's Liverpool have been struggling this campaign by their usual high standards and know they will have to be at their best to get something at the Emirates, considering Arsenal's strong form.
Odegaard has netted three in seven appearances in the Premier League so far for the Gunners but Klopp knew he'd have to devise a plan to contain the 23-year-old even before his strong start to the campaign.
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Speaking about Odegaard earlier in the week, Klopp told TV2 via Sport Witness: "I really like him. It's easy these days. It was a bit more difficult at the start of his career when he was at Real Madrid. Then it looked like it might not go his way. I was really disappointed by that because we wanted him in Dortmund when he was very young.
"We had a long conversation when he was still a boy, together with his father. In the end, he decided on Madrid, and that's fine, but that's why I've always followed him."
Klopp added: "It is very, very impressive. You can only imagine how many talents, huge talents, crazy talents, I have seen over the course of quite a while in this industry.
"At the time, Martin was 15 years old and already playing in Norway. The whole world went berserk.
"Until he was 15, he probably experienced no hardship. After that, a lot of things went against him. It makes him the person he is now, the man he is now, and the player he is now.
"I'm really happy that he has now become the player we all expected him to become. In fact, even better than that, if you will. He plays a massive role in an incredibly strong Arsenal team.
"He's still young, clear in his head, very influential. I honestly can't say anything negative about him. Really a top player."
