Chelsea striker Timo Werner has no regrets rejecting Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool.
Klopp was at the front of a queue of Premier League clubs desperate to lure Werner to these shores when it was clear he was set to leave RB Leipzig in the summer of 2020.
It is easy to imagine the 26-year-old thriving in Liverpool's fluid attack, complementing the talents of Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane.
But it was Chelsea who acted swiftest — swooping in to see off competition from not only Klopp, but Manchester United and Tottenham, in a £45million deal, while Liverpool turned to Diogo Jota.
“The only thing I can say is they have a German manager," he tells the London Evening Standard. “I have known him for many years before, because when I was in Stuttgart, he talked about going to Dortmund. Then I played not so well, so it was done.
“When I was in Leipzig, I had the possibility to come to the Premier League. Liverpool were also in my thoughts and were a big possibility for me, but at the end I decided for Chelsea and I won the Champions League title last year. It was not the worst decision."
Werner speaks highly of Klopp. “He is one of the best coaches we had in Germany," he says.
“Not to attack our manager, but over the past years he won the most titles. He has a very nice personality — a personality that the German people love, because he seems like fun.
“The Germans love the types like Thomas Muller, Jurgen Klopp — they have empathy. They say what they think, and that is really important in this business, to not fake something.
“He's real. He is a funny guy and also, with his power on the sideline, he tries to bring the people with him. That's what we Germans like."
Werner is also full of praise for fellow German Tuchel, who delivered the Champions League within four months of being parachuted in to rescue Chelsea's season last year. Tomorrow will be his sixth final since taking the reins at Stamford Bridge.
“He is on a level now where, when you say who are the best managers, you have only now Klopp, him and [Pep] Guardiola maybe," adds Werner.
