Ragnar Klavan has revealed that Jurgen Klopp had to send him a selfie to prove that Liverpool were genuinely interested in signing him, 10 years after the Estonian defender completed his £4.2m move from Augsburg. Klavan, who went on to make 53 appearances and score two goals for the Reds, initially thought he was being pranked when Klopp called him.
Klavan's Surprise Transfer
Klavan first played at Anfield in February 2016, starting for Augsburg in a 1-0 Europa League loss to Liverpool. Five months later, he was a Reds player. The centre-back, then 31, was the only outfield player over 30 signed by Klopp before Wataru Endo. Despite initial scepticism from fans, Klavan became a cult hero.
“I didn’t think I would be a Liverpool player,” Klavan told the ECHO. “When I heard about the interest, it was a feeling I cannot describe. My first conversation with Jurgen was via phone. In the beginning, I thought somebody was prank-calling me. So he stopped the phone call and sent a selfie and then I believed him!”
Life at Anfield
Klavan recalled the intimidating atmosphere at Anfield as an opponent: “It’s a really scary place to be because of all the fans.” After joining, he quickly settled. He made headlines in 2021 when a mistranslated Estonian podcast suggested Klopp and James Milner nearly fought. Klavan clarified: “I didn’t say it was a fight. There were moments when things get heated, but that shows everybody wants to win.”
Champions League Final and Beyond
Klavan’s final senior involvement was the 2018 Champions League final loss to Real Madrid. He left for Cagliari that summer, missing the 2019 triumph. “I was watching at home and was so happy for them,” he said. “In Kiev, there was already the mentality that they wanted to come back.”
Reflecting on his decision to leave, Klavan said: “At the time, it was the right decision for me.” He praised former teammate Philippe Coutinho: “Some things he did in training were incredible. I tried to kick him but he just got away!”
Legends Return
Klavan returned to Liverpool in 2023 to play for the Legends, starting in a 2-0 win over Celtic. He became the first player signed by Klopp to feature for the veterans. “It feels like it was yesterday,” he said. “I might be Jurgen’s first legend. It’s something special.”
