It must be odd when relatively unknown footballers get the call to join one of the biggest clubs in the world.
So it’s easy to understand why Ragnar Klavan was a tad chary when he received the call that claimed Liverpool were planning to make an approach to procure his defensive services.
Klavan, quite frankly, didn’t trust manager Jurgen Klopp when he proclaimed his interest in the Estonia international.
After a 12th place finish in the Bundesliga with Augsburg, Klavan found it hard to believe that a club of Liverpool’s stature wanted him on board.
The 30-year-old needed some hard proof before he accepted that he wasn’t the victim of a cruel prank from friends and, luckily, Klopp had his camera phone handy and was willing to cooperate.
“Jurgen sent me a selfie to prove it was him,” Klavan told the Telegraph.
“I’d received the messages so I wrote back ‘I don’t believe you. I need proof’. He sent me the picture smiling.
“At first I couldn’t believe it. It was my dream to play in the Premier League for 22 years. Then you are told you not only have a chance to do it, but it is Liverpool. I was like ‘are you serious? This is really happening?’
“I never thought of the possibility. There are some players who are always asking their agent ‘is anyone interested in me? Tell me, tell me’.
“I always told my agent that if there is something real and 100 per cent sure you can tell me about it, but I don’t want to hear about maybes.
“What is interest nowadays in football? Interest could mean you are in a list of 20 players. I had no idea Klopp was looking at me.
“I didn’t need convincing. I told the manager straight away if there is a chance to come, no other club interests me.”
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