Dominik Szoboszlai ignored Jurgen Klopp phone call in Liverpool transfer panic

The Hungarian midfielder agreed to join in 2023 after five central midfielders left the club in a mass exodus that summer, with RB Leipzig star initially not answering the phone when Klopp called

Szoboszlai admitted he did not answer the first time Klopp called(Image: Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)

Dominik Szoboszlai feared he may have gotten off on the wrong foot with Jurgen Klopp after missing a phone call with his future boss at Liverpool boss.

Liverpool made its transfer interest aware to RB Leipzig and Szoboszlai's agent, quickly agreeing a fee with Klopp wishing to speak to the player. The Hungarian had just finished another impressive season with the German team, and was highly touted across most of Europe.

But after speaking to Liverpool, his mind was made up. The move materialized quickly and he arrivd just a few days later to play a big role in the team from the off.

Speaking to the Liverpool Echo, Szoboszlai said: "It was really weird because always when I am close to a new deal or something is about to change, my agent tells me only at the end. So I don't know anything about it until I have to decide about something.

"It was really quick, he said they were interested, I said let's go, Jurgen called me and then I signed."

Szoboszlai confirmed he missed Klopp's call the first time the legendary boss reached out to him, quickly returning the favor in a panic.

Jurgen Klopp and Szoboszlai worked together for a year before the head coach left(Image: Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)

"But yeah, that is true, unfortunately, I missed [Klopp's call] unfortunately. But he was sitting in a car, so I called him back quickly, I apologized that I couldn't get on the first phone call and he was OK with that," he said.

"I remember being on holiday with my friends and then my agent called me to be available in maybe two or three hours because Jurgen is going to call you.

"I then forgot and I was in the sea, so my friends are running out saying: 'Your phone is ringing and Jurgen is calling you!' So I was running back to the place and I had to call him back. I had to say sorry I forgot it. And then we started to speak and obviously he told me he would like to have me here and I said I am ready to come."

Dominik Szoboszlai has had an impressive campaign this season(Image: Visionhaus/Getty Images)

The Hungarian admitted he knew just how big of a club he was joining, but had not been aware just how much the team means to it's fans until he stepped foot in Anfield as a Liverpool player under Klopp.

He said: "I knew [how big Liverpool was], actually, but once you are inside you realise properly what it does mean to be a Liverpool player. It was unbelievable because I still remember I had to choose my shirt number and I knew that Naby [Keita] was no longer here, so No.8 was free.

"So that was an easy choice. Then, when I stepped into the training ground, seeing how everything is there and what kind of players are playing here, it was just a dream come true for me."

Szoboszlai impressed in both his first two seasons with the Reds, before taking a big step in his third year with the team - a year which has not gone well for the rest of the team with Arne Slot's men currently battling to make it into the Champions League next year.