Liverpool prepared to spend big money this summer, says Jurgen Klopp

Posted Sunday, March 11, 2018 by squawka.com

Jurgen Klopp says Liverpool are able to again spend considerably in the market this summer as the German tactician looks to challenge for the Premier League title next season.

Having already signed Virgil van Dijk for £75 million in January – making the former Southampton centre-back the world’s most expensive defender in the process – Klopp has insisted the Anfield club’s spending spree will continue.

RB Leipzig midfielder Naby Keita will also be joining the ranks on Merseyside with the club having already reached an agreement to sign the Guinean in July, after the Reds paid a premium on top of his £48m release clause that was due to kick in this summer.

Barcelona’s £142m signing of Philippe Coutinho should allow Klopp greater spending power in the transfer market, with the 50-year-old maintaining the club will be active this summer, but only if the right player becomes available.

"When the player is the right player it is not important how expensive he was. He needs to fit in the team, that’s why we paid the price,” Klopp told the Telegraph.

"This club will do what we have to do. The owners are ready for that. That was the sign for it but it doesn’t mean we only spend in this [expensive] category.

"It’s all about timing, doing the right thing at the right moment. If the player is the right player this club will pay big money. If it’s not the right player, it’s not the value of the player.

"The transfer fees only jumped in the last year. We cannot say the exact numbers but was it £40m for Mo Salah? I would say that’s decent money but it looks like, ‘what’s that?’

"Everybody asks Roma, ‘How can you do that?’ That’s strange.”

Liverpool have been in fine form this season, with summer signing Mohamed Salah setting the Premier League alight with his goalscoring exploits.

Despite this, Klopp believes fresh competition can be helpful to his squad, within reason.

He continued: “It still needs to be the mix of bringing in the new player and letting the group grow.”

"That’s how it is. If you always change four or five positions it’s wrong. You don’t make the team better. You can make it better in the long term but nobody is waiting for the long term.”

Defeat to Manchester United this afternoon has extended the gap between the fierce rivals to five points in the Premier League, as Liverpool lacked the required ruthlessness to overcome Jose Mourinho’s men.

Klopp believes the aesthetics of football count for nothing if you cannot deliver trophies.

"If Liverpool won the league no one would ask how it happened. Nobody,” Klopp added.

"Liverpool needed somebody who started the development with a big thirst for being immediately successful, which is quite difficult.

"That didn’t happen, but everyone can see that the way is positive at least. If you win the title next year then everyone will know it was a good signing.

"If you want to have the most fluent offensive football and be successful then I think Pep Guardiola is a good choice to be honest.”

Liverpool welcome Watford to Anfield next week in the Premier League.