Liverpool great Jerzy Dudek has admitted that he was concerned that the Reds would miss out on Jurgen Klopp before he took over at Anfield.
The German coach left Borussia Dortmund at the end of last season, and after a period of unemployment was appointed by Liverpool in October.
Klopp arrived at Anfield at the replacement for Brendan Rodgers, whose tenure had promised so much but ultimately failed to deliver.
While the German manager has struggled to find consistency in the Premier League, he is on the brink of something great in Europe, having guided the Merseyside heavyweights to the final of the Europa League, which they will contest against Sevilla on Wednesday.
“I don’t wish bad for anyone but I was scared [Liverpool] would miss out on Klopp,” Dudek told journalists [as per the Telegraph].
“This is the right man for this club,” he continued. “I was scared maybe Arsenal would take him before us.”
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While Arsenal haven’t had a need for a new manager since the mid-1990s, the recent grumblings concerning the progress—or lack thereof—that the club are making under Arsene Wenger have regularly seen the prospect of a change of coach raised.
However, with the Gunners ultimately pipping Tottenham Hotspur to second spot in the Premier League—prompting a wave of jubilation around the Emirates Stadium following their 4-0 victory over Aston Villa at the weekend—it would be a surprise if Wenger were not given at least another season to try and take the north London heavyweights back to the pinnacle of the English game.