‘I only want to talk to you to show you my dog!’: Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp FaceTimes new signing Kostas Tsimikas to show him his pet as Greek defender arrives at Melwood for first time after £11.75m move
- Kostas Tsimikas joined Liverpool from Olympiacos this week for a fee of £11.75m
- The Greek defender will compete with Andy Robertson for the left-back position
- Jurgen Klopp welcomed Liverpool’s first signing of the summer over the phone
- However the German said he only wanted to show off his dog to his new recruit
Jurgen Klopp was keen to facetime Liverpool‘s new signing Kostas Tsimikas after he completed his £11.75m swoop from Olympiacos, but only to show off his dog Emma.
The Greece international officially completed his move to Anfield earlier this week, signing a five-year deal with the Reds.
Liverpool have released a video on social media showing a behind the scenes look into the 24-year-old’s first day as a Reds player.
Kostas Tsimikas became Liverpool’s first signing of the summer after joining from Olympiacos
During his first day at the club the Greek international received a facetime call by Jurgen Klopp
Klopp called the full-back to show off his dog Emma who is pictured here back in 2013
As well as the standard medical and media duties, it also shows him speaking to his new manager over Facetime.
Klopp is heard saying ‘I only want to talk to you, to show you my dog. Emma…look.’
Tsimikas responds by calling Klopp’s pet beautiful and said he misses his own dog which he has yet to bring over to Liverpool.
The Liverpool manager then said: ‘It’s a good day. From now on the future starts. See you in a couple of days. All the best.’
Emma, a retriever-cross, who is reportedly named after the legendary Dortmund striker Lothar Emmerich.
The 48-year-old reportedly got Emma as a puppy in early 2010 and is regularly seen taking her on walks.
Tsimikas has been signed to compete with Andy Robertson for Liverpool’s left-back position
Current Liverpool star Gini Wijnaldum said the dog had to be moved out of the room when he went to visit Klopp at the German’s house before he signed for the club from Newcastle.
As reported by the Daily Mirror, Wijnaldum said: ‘I spoke to (Mauricio) Pochettino because he wanted me to come to Spurs.
‘But then I also went to see Jurgen Klopp. When I got to Klopp’s house, I realised he has a massive dog – and I mean massive.
‘Nothing scares me more than a big dog. I am absolutely petrified of dogs. Jurgen did not know that, of course, but there was no way I was going into that house.
Gini Wijnaldum said Klopp had to move Emma out of the room as he is ‘scared of big dogs’
‘Jurgen had to move the dog to a room where he could not escape. Then he helped me relax by talking about my holiday and about all kinds of other things before we even spoke about football.’
Tsimikas will wear the number 21 shirt for the Reds and will compete with Andy Robertson for the left-back position.
‘I’m very happy, I’m very proud to be here. For me, [it’s] the biggest club in the world. It’s an honour to be here and I will give my best,’ Tsimikas told Liverpool’s official website after completing his transfer.
‘The league here, I like a lot. I watch it on the TV and it was always one dream I had from when I was a kid to come to play in this league and to come through.
‘With a lot of work and focus on what I do and what the coach wants, and every day working hard in training, I can be on the highest level.
‘I want to achieve our goals. To win the league again and also to win the Champions League.’
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