Jurgen Klopp wants Lucas Leiva to return to Liverpool at the end of his playing career.

The Brazilian midfielder ended his 10-year stay at Anfield by agreeing a three-year deal at Lazio this week, having slipped down the pecking order at Liverpool.

Lucas started only 12 Premier League games for Klopp last season, but the German is hoping he gets the chance to work with the 30-year-old again in the future.

"He loves Liverpool. It's unbelievable," Klopp told ESPN. "He comes from Brazil - it's a nice country and the weather is much better. 

"He could imagine staying in Liverpool for the rest of his life. I told him that the door is always open for him after his three years and [if] I'm still here, of course, then we will find a place for him.

"I'm sure he'll be a fantastic coach or manager."

  .... I have been blessed to live and work in this city, a place that I have come to realise is different to any other, and while living here I have been married and blessed with two wonderful children so whatever happens now we will always take Liverpool with us everywhere we go. I have also been fortunate to play with so many world class team mates and shared their devotion to do everything that we could to help the club be as good as it can be. Off the pitch, I was honoured to become a trustee of the LFC Foundation and got to see at first hand the work they do in the local community. When I celebrated being at Liverpool for a decade recently, it meant a lot to hear some of the children who the Foundation has helped describe me as a Scouser. I might not have won as many trophies as I would have liked during my time here but to have people talk about me in that way means as much as any medal. The same goes for the video I was sent on Friday which showed the fans, many of them young, singing my name during the game at Wigan Athletic. To be the recipient of that support and that passion makes me so proud. It is for those reasons – and many, many more – that Liverpool Football Club and its supporters will always have a special place in my heart. On top of that, the personality, humour, dignity and integrity of the people of this city will also stay with me for ever. From the bottom of my heart, thank you to every single Liverpool fan. My family and myself will always be grateful for your support and for being part of this great club, which means we will also be sad now that the time has come for me to leave. All I can say now is that I hope more than anything else that the new season turns out to be a great one for my new club and my old club. YNWA. JFT96 A post shared by Lucas Leiva (@leivalucas) on Jul 18, 2017 at 11:49am PDT

Klopp confirmed Lucas requested to leave Liverpool in a bid to get more first-team football with Lazio, who finished fifth in Serie A last season.

"Things change but Lucas is a special case," Klopp said. "He asked for it. I would say he's a friend. He's a fantastic person. How I know and how he knows, he's has a few issues when he's not playing!

"But we always had a very respectful understanding. It was really good. When he left, we both had a little tear in our eye. It was really a special moment.

"For the team, it's difficult. It's the age and it's life. He could sign a long-term contract in Rome and how can I say: 'You stay here, but I don't know if you sign a new contract and I don't know how often you will play next year'. So you need to be honest, especially with a player like him."