05 September 2023 , 23:00
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Jesper Lindstrom has admitted he turned down the chance to join Liverpool in favour of making the big-money move to Napoli instead.
The 23-year-old signed for the Serie A champions from Eintracht Frankfurt in a deal worth £25.6million plus add-ons last month. Lindstrom had made three appearances - including one in the Bundesliga - for Frankfurt this season before deciding to depart Deutsche Bank Park.
However, Lindstrom had more than one offer on the table. Liverpool made an approach to sign the Denmark international as Jurgen Klopp tried to bolster his attacking department.
A switch to Anfield would have been a childhood dream for Lindstrom. But the ex-Brondby star decided against a move to Merseyside and chose to move to Napoli.
"It was Liverpool and I am a Liverpool supporter, so it would've been a madly fascinating experience, but would it have been an intelligent move?" Lindstrom told Danish paper Tipsbladet, via Football Italia.
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"If I don't play, then I may as well sit in front of the TV and watch them play there while I am at a different club. I am at an age now where I have to play football.
"This is why I think Napoli represent a good change. It is one of the best clubs in the world and they said I will have many opportunities to play."
Jesper Lindstrom made his Napoli debut against Lazio (Getty Images)Lindstrom made his Napoli debut off the bench in their 2-1 defeat against Lazio on Saturday. The Dane came on for the final 15 minutes as Rudi Garcia's side suffered their first Serie A loss of the season.
Despite only being at Napoli for a week, Lindstrom is already feeling the love from the fans. "It is not possible to walk the streets of the city and this is also why many of the players live on the outskirts," Lindstrom added. "You can’t go for a walk, you have to cover yourself up, because otherwise they attack you for selfies.
"I knew it would be like this, as there is only one club in Naples, everyone here grew up supporting Napoli and it is all extreme. I can’t just go out for coffee. It’s different, but an amusing experience."
Lindstrom has since joined up with the Denmark national team ahead of two fixtures against San Marino and Finland. After the international break, Napoli travel to Genoa before facing Braga in the Champions League.