I disagree with the idea of telling her you want to be friends. For one it’s disingenuous ; that’s not really what you want. Second it might backfire. Women love getting attention for free. It’s actually an attractive offer for her - she gets to keep you as company and as emotional support, but she doesn’t have any obligation to you. She might jump at the idea, then shoot you down when you try to make a move later on. You’ll only end up hurting yourself. Be straightforward with what you want from her. It’s more likely to be successful since women love men who are sure of what they want from life. But of course it’s not going to be a 100% successful strategy. No matter how hard you try, even if you say and do the perfect things, she may have simply moved on and is ready for something new.