Harry Redknapp believes Carlo Ancelotti was Liverpool's first choice ahead of Jurgen Klopp

Former Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp has revealed that the Liverpool manager's job was first offered to Carlo Ancelotti. The Italian refused the job, which was then offered to Jurgen Klopp, who has now been announced as the new Reds manager after he agreed a three-year deal with the Merseyside club.

Redknapp believes that the Anfield outfit did hold talks with the former Real Madrid manager, but were turned down. The English manager, however, is confident that the former Borussia Dortmund manager is a good addition to the Premier League.

"I have heard from good sources that he [Ancelotti] was offered the Liverpool job. I don't think [he wanted it]. They spoke to him at some stage," Redknapp told talkSPORT.

"I do like the look of Klopp, he's a good appointment," he said. "He's looks bright, with great enthusiasm and he looks like he could be a really good addition to the Premier League. I'm looking forward to watching Liverpool play over the next few years."

Ancelotti, who was heavily linked with the Liverpool job, has admitted that he is not yet ready to get back to management, but made it clear that he is not done. The former Queens Park Rangers manager believes that only a job in a top club will lure the Italian manager, who has already had a spell with Chelsea, to England.

The former AC Milan manager led Chelsea to their first ever domestic double in 2009/10, winning the Premier League and FA Cup, in his first season in-charge at the club, but a second season without a trophy saw him being sacked on 22 May 2011.

"Ancelotti's had a little break from the football scene already and obviously feels he's ready to come back in again. It's got to be a big club for him, he's a manager of Champions League clubs so he's not going to take any job," Redknapp explained.

"There are only five or six jobs he could take in the Premier League, so it's very interesting to see what he's got in mind."