"I've got a little bit more of a life back" - Ex-Liverpool star makes interesting claim on Anfield exit

Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Adam Lallana has said that leaving Liverpool two years ago has helped him enjoy his personal life, claiming he did enjoy his time in North West England.

Lallana, who joined Brighton on a free transfer in the summer of 2020, was a core part of the Reds' squad in his first three seasons at Anfield. However, his importance at the club diminished over the years due to injuries. Overall, he registered 22 goals and 22 assists in 178 appearances across all competitions over six seasons for the Merseyside outfit.

The 34-year-old helped Liverpool lift four trophies, including the Premier League title and the UEFA Champions League trophy.

Speaking to YouTube channel Gaz’s Golf, Lallana recollected his time with the Jurgen Klopp-coached side. He said:

"There’s training [in the] afternoon most days, whereas at Brighton, because we train every morning, we always have the afternoon. At Liverpool, training could be at 1 PM, 2 PM, 3 PM, depending on the times of games. That's kind of how Jurgen works. I think it’s not as much like that [now], but when he first came in that was his model."

He continued:

"In the morning, you’d be waiting around, you’d drop the kids off, go for breakfast, you couldn’t play golf before you train. There would have been an element of [not wanting players to play golf], because playing for Liverpool, it’s literally your life."

"Coming out of Liverpool, I feel like I’ve got a little bit more of a life back. Not that I didn’t enjoy it, I loved it at the time, and I love it at Brighton now for different reasons."

Lallana has featured in 56 matches for the Seagulls, scoring one goal. He is expected to be on the bench during his club's 2022-23 Premier League opener against Manchester United on August 7.

Jurgen Klopp has his say on former Liverpool player Adam Lallana

Speaking to reporters ahead of the Reds' 2-2 draw against Brighton Hove & Albion last season, Reds head coach Jurgen Klopp lauded former player Adam Lallana. He said (via Football365):

"I miss Adam still, to be honest. Adam set the standard from the first to the last day pretty much and it was really impressive. What I loved about him, a football player with the technical skills he has and that working mentality is really rare."

He added:

"I think we all agree that if Adam had been a little bit less injured, he could have been on another level. One of the best players I've ever worked with, an absolutely incredible person as well."