Adam Lallana has learned that the best things in life are sometimes worth waiting for.

Not just in recent weeks, when he kept his future plans on hold as Albion strove to secure Premier League safety.

But also with the boss who has taken Liverpool to their long-awaited league title, as well as another European crown.

Lallana was told by Jurgen Klopp as long ago as October that he was playing his final season for the Anfield giants.

Without pinpointing a date, he says he was quickly convinced by the project put to him by Albion technical director Dan Ashworth.

While Champagne was being put on ice across the red half of Merseyside, Albion’s infamous winless run was putting Lallana’s plan on hold.

But it was all worth the wait as Albion secured safety and Lallana joined them as a champion, once he had celebrated that first Liverpool league title since 1990.

Lallana told The Argus: “It was very apparent from October time that I was going to be leaving Liverpool.

“I remember having a conversation with Jurgen.

“It was a brilliant conversation and it was nice to know so early and have some clarity that my future wouldn’t be at Liverpool.

“Liverpool were very accommodating in letting me speak to other clubs or people at other clubs just to try and find out where there was going to be interest.

“I knew very early on that Brighton were interested.

“The only thing that stopped it feeling real was where Brighton were in the table.

“I don’t think they won a game from December through to June.

“While I knew it sounded great and I was sold the project and everything about it, it was really hard to visualise myself there knowing they might not be in the league.

“As soon as they were safe, you get a feeling, don’t you?

“I didn’t need to think about it then, I knew it was right.

“That’s just how I can explain it, really. There wasn’t much thinking.

“You meet the right people and it was just the perfect fit.”

Lallana is keen to help Albion in their expressed intention of becoming an established top-ten outfit in the Premier League.

He believes they can move up five places next season but he is also ready for the longer ride.

He enjoyed the fact Liverpool have used him in a deep-lying role at times and he also enjoys pressing high. But he sees himself playing in central midfielder or as a No.10 in a footballing style that suits him perfectly.

Lallana said: “They want to be in control of the ball and play out from the back and dominate possession.

“My attributes are carrying the ball and receiving the ball off both sides.

“It excites me to play like that but you can’t just rely on that.

“You need to be dominant in the second balls, you need to win tackles, you need to win the ball back.

“It’s the whole package. If you get the right mix of being successful in possession but being horrible to play against, that’s the formula.

“You are going to lose games but you can do the right things to give you a better chance of winning football matches.

“Saying that, it can’t happen overnight and that is why Graham has done such a fantastic job, instilling a different philosophy and the way they want to play while keeping Brighton in the league.

“It is tough. I’m sure he wants to bring his own type of players in but that can’t happen in one week. Everyone knows that.

“It’s a project. It’s about over the course of five, six, seven transfer windows.

“I’ve seen it happen with Jurgen at Liverpool. We won the league in his fifth year.

“It’s a phase-by-phase development process.

“You might not get results overnight but, if you keep working on the basics and on the manager’s philosophies, then you are working towards something.

“That is what I can sense is going on at Brighton and I’m looking forward to being part of that.”