Georginio Wijnaldum says one conversation with Jurgen Klopp was all it took to convince him to join Liverpool.
The Netherlands international signed with Klopp's side on Friday before flying to California to take part in his first training with his new club on Saturday.
Wijnaldum was also pursued by Liverpool's rivals Everton, but the 25-year-old said Klopp's presentation made the difference in his decision.
"In that conversation he made me feel really good," Wijnaldum told the Liverpool Echo. "He gave me a lot of confidence because he said he liked my way of playing football. He said I was a person he really wanted to have in his squad.
"Something like that is always good to hear. It made me happy, especially as it came from such a great trainer like Jurgen Klopp.
"He showed how good he is at Dortmund with all the success he had. It's always great when a trainer of that kind of ability says he needs you in his team.
"There was interest from Everton but Liverpool had more interest. Jurgen gave me a good feeling in that conversation. Straight after that I had the feeling that I wanted to come to Liverpool.
"Of course Liverpool is a big club with a good history. Everyone knows that. But there had to be a match.
"He's in charge and if a great trainer like him wants you then it gives you more confidence to come to a club like this."
Wijnaldum also said that Rafa Benitez wanted to retain him at Newcastle, but the former Liverpool boss would not stand in the midfielder's way if he wanted to leave for Anfield.
"Rafa just said that Liverpool is a big club," Wijnaldum said. "The biggest thing he said was that he wanted to keep me for Newcastle.
"He didn't want to sell me but he said that if a great offer came in they would think about it. He wanted to keep me there.
"He didn't say: 'You need to go to Liverpool' because he wanted me to stay at Newcastle."