Mario Gotze has again admitted that he made a mistake by not signing for Liverpool back in 2016.
During that summer, Gotze - then at Bayern Munich - was repeatedly linked with a move to Anfield to reunite with Jurgen Klopp. However, he instead opted to return to Borussia Dortmund, whom he left for Bayern just three years earlier.
Gotze's second spell at Signal Iduna Park was underwhelming with the previously mercurial midfielder - who netted Germany's winner in the 2014 World Cup final - struggling with fitness issues.
He departed the club in 2020 and has since rekindled his career at PSV Eindhoven, before returning to Germany with Europa League winners Eintracht Frankfurt this summer.
Reflecting on his decision to spurn Liverpool's advances in 2016, Gotze admitted that he had made an error of judgement.
"Liverpool had finished eighth in their first season with Jurgen and had not qualified for the Champions League," Gotze told Bild. "Even in previous years, it wasn’t the club that always played at the top.
"Dortmund had previously played a top season under Thomas Tuchel. BVB was on the up. Jurgen was still building something. In retrospect you have to say: Liverpool would have been better."
These comments echo what Gotze said about his prospective move to Anfield back in April.
"Do I regret it? It’s always difficult to look back but if you ask me now then yeah, I should have joined Liverpool for sure. I just made a wrong decision but it’s not a regret," Gotze said back then.
Source : 90min