Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp admitted that he was surprised by Roberto Firmino's decision to depart in the summer.
The veteran Brazilian has announced that he will move on when his contract expires at the end of the season.
Firmino has spent eight seasons with Klopp and Liverpool, winning every major trophy in that time.
"Yes, he told me [he was leaving]," Klopp said to reporters Friday.
"Was I surprised? Yes, a little bit but I was not hit by the surprise, actually it's a normal thing to do. It could go two ways and it was one and I respect that a lot.
"It's completely normal in this kind of long relationship that we have and Bobby (Firmino) has with the club and with most of the players and stuff like this, and with the fans of course.
"It's pretty special and I loved the reception he got when he came on against United. He told me and then the only other thing he said is: 'Now I want to bring this wonderful story to a positive end'. So, that's it."
Klopp added: "He is completely here and completely committed, how everybody can imagine and that's all we need to know. There's no time for a goodbye or whatever in this moment, there's enough time for that later in the season. Whenever he will come back, everybody knows that the song will still be for a long, long time in everybody's ears I'm pretty sure. No problem.
"I think he's one of these players that even when he would come with an opposition team, people would be really happy to see him."