Dominik Szoboszlai has shared details about his £60 million transfer to Liverpool in 2023, revealing that he had only three days to finalize the move. A personal FaceTime call from then-manager Jürgen Klopp, however, made the decision straightforward.
Liverpool activated a release clause in Szoboszlai’s RB Leipzig contract just before it expired at the start of July. The Hungarian midfielder joined during a major overhaul of Liverpool’s midfield, alongside new signings Alexis Mac Allister, Wataru Endo, and Ryan Gravenberch. Leipzig had hoped to keep Szoboszlai, but Liverpool’s swift action prevented lengthy negotiations.
In an interview with Red Bull, Szoboszlai described how the transfer unfolded quickly and how Klopp’s direct approach reassured him.
“It was an easy decision,” Szoboszlai said. “When a manager like Jurgen Klopp shows interest, you don’t need much time to think. We had three days to make it happen. He called me on FaceTime, and although I was nervous at first, speaking in German helped a lot. It all moved very fast after that.”
Szoboszlai also opened up about the challenges players face when moving abroad, including language barriers and the pressure to perform at a higher level than their teammates to earn a place in the squad.
Winning the Premier League has been a dream come true for him. “As a child, you dream of lifting trophies like this. It’s taken a lot to get here, but I hope the journey is far from over,” he said. “My family has supported me every step of the way, especially my father, who keeps replicas of all my medals and trophies. I might start building a trophy room of my own.”
He also spoke about his ongoing friendship with Manchester City striker Erling Haaland, whom he played alongside at Red Bull Salzburg. “We still keep in touch. Since we’re both chasing the Premier League title each season, we cross paths. But when we talk, we avoid football—it’s part of our everyday lives, so we prefer to chat about other things.”
