Klopp reveals 'exceptional' Lewandowski is the BEST player he's ever coached

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has named Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski as the best player he has ever managed.

Lewandowski signed for Klopp's former club, Borussia Dortmund, in 2010 and went on to win two Bundesliga titles and reach the Champions League final under his tutelage.

Klopp's managerial career has since seen him work with some outstanding talents, including Virgil van Dijk, Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah at Liverpool. However, the German boss insists Lewandowski is an 'extraordinary' player.

Lewandowski parted ways with Dortmund in 2014, joining German champions Bayern Munich.

The Poland international has since developed into one of the world’s best strikers with 284 goals in 323 appearances for Bayern.

When asked who was the best player he had worked with as a manager, Klopp told Sport Bild: 'Robert Lewandowski. It actually won't be fair to say that about any other player except Lewy.

'What he has made out of his potential, how he pushed himself to become the player he is today, that's extraordinary.

'If every player has a development similar to Lewandowski, when I first saw him at Lech Poznan, then the football world would be completely crazy.

'All players would win all their duels, the full-backs would complete all their crosses, the midfielders would be strong in one against ones, the wingers would tackle and play precise long balls.'

Not only does Klopp believe Lewandowski has an ‘extraordinary’ talent, he credits the striker's impeccable work-rate.

The Liverpool manager added: 'Lewy took every step he needed to take to be that goal machine. Every one.

'He has immersed himself in the game, he just knows in every situation what he has to do, where he has to go. Lewy is an absolute machine.'

Lewandowski picked up Bundesliga crowns and the 2011-12 DFB Pokal during his time at the club.

He also scored a total of 103 goals in 178 appearances for the Rhinelanders before he left for the German champions.

Klopp left Dortmund the very next summer, having endured a disappointing season that saw Dortmund finish seventh in the Bundesliga table.