Klopp: I wanted to punch myself for not bringing Mane to Dortmund

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has admitted he wanted to punch himself after turning down the chance to bring Sadio Mane to Borussia Dortmund.

The German considered signing Mane, who is now starring for him at Anfield, from Red Bull Salzburg in 2014 before he joined Southampton.

Instead, Klopp ended up sanctioning a 34 million pound ($42M) move to acquire the Senegal international at his new club and says he did not hesitate the second time around.

"With Sadio it was pretty simple because I made the mistake at Dortmund where I didn't take him," Klopp told reporters.

"We talked. I think everyone knows we met each other and by the end I didn't feel this [claps hands together]. Around about three months later I would have punched myself so I knew already that the next chance I had I would take it. So it was not difficult to take this decision, it was very easy.

"When the club came and when Michael Edwards [Liverpool's new sporting director] said we have an opportunity, no talks were necessary anymore. It was a case of 'let’s do it'".

Mane returns to St. Mary's on Saturday as Liverpool visits Southampton looking to extend its 12-match unbeaten run in all competitions.

"I don't know why I didn't sign him before," Klopp continued. "I like the player, it was more of a feeling. At Dortmund we could only get one player for this position, not two or three, so it needed to be exactly the right fit in this moment. I've said a lot of times, I'm not a genius and I couldn't exactly imagine where he was in terms of playing in the Austrian league and what does the Austrian league mean for the football [at Dortmund]?

"I have made more mistakes in my life like this but he would have been more expensive if we had taken him to Dortmund and then he had been sold to Liverpool, so all good for Liverpool. The more I think about it, that was my first Liverpool decision. Nice".