Pep Lijnders has revealed Pep Guardiola sold him on Manchester City with his passion and intensity - and Jurgen Klopp urged him to take the job.
Lijnders accepted a role as assistant boss to Guardiola at City last summer having built a strong reputation as number two to his former rival Klopp at Liverpool.
The Dutchman left Anfield when Klopp departed in 2024 and, after a short-lived spell in charge of Red Bull Salzburg, was open to a return to the Premier League.
Given his Liverpool background, City may have seemed an unlikely destination but the prospect of working with Guardiola was too good to turn down and Klopp was in full agreement.
Lijnders said: "Pep's brilliant, of course. He has a passion and a game-understanding from a different planet, in my opinion.
"The moment Pep called, the feeling was straight away really good. It was not a difficult decision.
"You cannot put away 10 years of Liverpool that easily, but I'm really proud to come to a club of this magnitude, so successful over the last 10 years and with a manager that defined football.
"When I spoke with Jurgen he was so clear - 'if you don't do it, I will take the assistant job!"'
Guardiola's relentless pursuit of excellence was part of the attraction.
"The best ones are like that, Tiger Woods, all these guys, they push themselves to limits," said Lijnders.
"He's constantly searching for that - very professional, very ambitious, wants to make impact every day.
"But I always say his biggest strength is the passion he has for his team, the passion he has for us, his love for his backroom staff, how he treats everyone and that family feeling inside this club."
Lijnders' immediate priority is City's trip to Tottenham on Sunday but they travel to a more familiar venue, Anfield, next weekend. He insists his loyalties will not be divided.
He said: "No, I'm a professional. When I go to Anfield it will be special - maybe more special for my family than me - but my mindset is to win and to try to beat them."
