Jurgen Klopp warns Liverpool will continue to take cautious approach in transfer window ahead of title defence

Klopp: I don’t think I ever bought enough players in the window!
AP
David Lynch28 August 2020

Jurgen Klopp believes he now has a clearer picture of how Liverpool’s spending power has been impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.

However, the German has insisted that the Premier League champions will continue to take a cautious approach in the transfer market as they prepare to defend their title.

So far this summer, the Reds have sanctioned the £12m sale of Dejan Lovren to join Zenit St Petersburg while allowing both Nathaniel Clyne and Adam Lallana to depart on free transfers.

Meanwhile, just one player has come the other way, left-back Kostas Tsimikas joining from Olympiakos, with interest in Bayern Munich midfielder Thiago Alcantara yet to turn into anything more concrete.

Still, Klopp is confident that he has the tools at his disposal for a successful season, declaring dissatisfaction over transfers as a theme of his trophy-laden Anfield reign.

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Asked about Liverpool’s financial health, he replied: “I’m clear enough about it, I would say. I’m as clear as possible, I think.

“We never had that relationship that I go to Mike Gordon and tell him, ‘That’s money I need and without that we cannot survive’. It’s about the club. I’m clear enough about our situation but that’s it pretty much.

“There are other clubs that have different policies, obviously, that’s what you have to expect. But it was last year the same, the year before pretty much the same, we have all our different approaches [and ways] to deal with different situations.

“It didn’t harm us, really, our way, it is just our way. I cannot change that, I don’t want to, I knew about that when I arrived here, that this is the way it goes.

“Since I was here, nothing changed, only the times changed - especially now. As a sensible person, I know that this is not the best time in our lives obviously, you should plan long-term.

“We are in a good place, we have a good team, and we are motivated. That’s of course my job to do as well and the boys’ job to do, and the supporters, not only the moment they can come in the stadium, but when they are not in the stadium. We can create a feeling together.

“We cannot just bring exciting players because people want to be busy with that. It was every year pretty much the same, I don’t think I ever bought enough players in the transfer window for everybody. It was always like, ‘You need another one!’

“So far, it worked out, that doesn’t mean it will work out forever, we made mistakes and we will make, probably, mistakes.

“But it’s all about what kind of mood we can create again for this season and that’s all about creating a unit that is absolutely difficult to beat, [being] a proper, proper team who is ready to suffer for each other and that’s the most important thing and not who you can buy in a very strange moment of all our lives.”

The likes of Chelsea and Manchester City have already spent huge sums in the transfer market this summer, with further deals expected before its closure in October.

But Klopp is not entirely convinced that money alone is enough for the Reds’ Premier League rivals to close the gap.

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He added: “It’s probably ever year harder. Was it easy last year? For sure not.

“It looked it in moments but only because we were a results machine, that was the only reason for it. It was always hard, all the games we had to fight so hard, it will happen this time.

“If you make a lot of changes in a squad, that’s good but it’s more good in the long term than short term because you need to get used to each other and all this kind of stuff.

“The little advantage - not a big advantage - is that we are used to each other so we know what we are doing at specific moments.

“But we have to do it and we have to mix it up with a sensational attitude and a sensational desire in the game, so we have to be really aggressive in our runs, in our movements, in all that stuff. We have to be in this 100 per cent mood where you always go with all you have.

“How I said, it was last year difficult, the year before very difficult for City obviously, and it will be difficult for everybody this year but it’s not decided yet. So, let’s just give it a try.”

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