Jurgen Klopp says he started thinking about leaving Liverpool during pre-season.

The 56-year-old confirmed on Friday that he has decided to stand down, having taken charge at Liverpool in 2015, and speaking to reporters later in the day revealed he first thought about leaving before the season began.

He said: "It was first time when I realised [I wanted to leave]. I'm the leading part of these meetings [pre-season discussions], I'm the one who says 'yes', 'no'... and I couldn't do it.

"That was the moment I started thinking. And then the football we played became better and better, the potential of the team was more and more obvious and that was another moment. I thought 'that's it'."

Klopp has won six trophies with the Reds, including the Premier League title in 2020 and the Champions League trophy the year before, leaving a remarkable legacy at Anfield.

And the German says he cannot wait to have a break.

He said: "I’ve done six press conferences a week for nine years pretty much and I can’t wait for the moment I don’t have to do that anymore.

"You have to be pushing yourself, especially for a club like Liverpool because it’s so important for so many people, I can’t do it on three wheels, it’s not allowed and I never wanted to be a passenger in all of that.

“My managerial skills, there are so many better managers out there, but mine are based on energy on relationships and that takes all of you.

“I’m where I am because of who I am. If I can’t be that anymore it’s time to tell the people. I cannot be that anymore. I didn’t say it after one two three year four five, I didn’t say it.

“I was 100% convinced at that moment we will go to 2026. My energy level was endless but now it’s not. Now we have to change.”