Georginio Wijnaldum has explained how meeting Jurgen Klopp led to him choosing Liverpool over Tottenham Hotspur.
The Dutch international moved to Anfield this summer from Newcastle United for £25 million and has impressed at his new club this season in a central-midfield role, making 13 appearances and scoring one goal.
The 26-year-old admits he held discussions with Spurs' Mauricio Pochettino over a potential move to White Hart Lane, but went on to reveal how conversations with Klopp saw him end up at Anfield instead.
"I had great conversations with Pochettino and Klopp," Wijnaldum told The Guardian. "But in the meeting with Jurgen we had a laugh and did not speak only about football.
"He was interested in my personal life and that was good for me. He was not only interested in Wijnaldum the footballer but Wijnaldum the person.
"When you're not out on the football field you have to communicate as people and it is good if you know something about how the other person is. It makes things easier."
Wijnaldum was certainly impressed and believes that the German manager makes his players stronger.
"This season I started to enjoy it as soon as I knew Liverpool really wanted to sign me, especially after the meeting with Jurgen," he added. "I came away from that with a really great feeling that I could train with a good manager, a really good team and make myself a better player.
"Every training session we do is to improve you as a player. That's different to what I've experienced before and I'm really happy with it.
"The manager gives you confidence. He's not a manager who yells at you or gets angry with you whenever you make a mistake.
"He will only get mad if you don't do the things you are good at so, for example, [Sadio] Mane is a good player who can dribble, [Philippe] Coutinho is a good player who can dribble and if they stop doing that there's a chance he might get mad and upset because you are not using your quality. Against Southampton last week he wanted me to make a run. I did it but it was too late and he said something about it.
"But sometimes, if I lose the ball easily, I expect him to be angry and he's not. You can hear his voice easily enough -- he's quite loud.
"He is really passionate and not only in the game. People might see him during a game and think that's an act. It's not an act. He's like that in training.
"For me that's a good thing because it keeps you sharp and, from his side, he is doing everything he can to make the team ready to win games. That's a good thing."