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Klopp defends Liverpool's recr...

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Klopp defends Liverpool's recruitment policy

Phil Egan
Phil Egan

09:43 10 Sep 2020


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Jurgen Klopp believes Liverpool can continue to be successful even if they can't spend as much as their rivals.

Liverpool start the defence of their Premier League title at home to Leeds on Saturday and ahead of the new season, Kostas Tsimikas is the only player the champions have signed.

Liverpool have continually been linked with Bayern Munich midfielder Thiago Alcantara but that deal could depend on what happens with Barcelona target Gini Wijnaldum.

Klopp is adamant the Merseysiders will remain successful despite not boasting the same funds as the likes of Manchester City and Chelsea.

Frank Lampard's side have splashed the cash on Kai Havertz, Timo Werner, Hakim Ziyech, Ben Chilwell and also signed Thiago Silva on a free transfer.

"We live in a world at the moment with a lot of uncertainty," Klopp told BBC Radio Five Live.

"For some clubs it seems to be less important how uncertain the future is. Owned by countries, owned by oligarchs, that’s the truth.

"We’re a different kind of club. We got to the Champions League final two years ago, we won it last year and became Premier League champions.

"We cannot change it overnight and say, 'so now we want to behave like Chelsea, now we want to behave like them.'

"That can be an advantage of course, but that means they have to fit together pretty quick as well.

"It’s not all about bringing in quality, you cannot bring in the 11 best players in the world and just hope a week later they will play the best football they ever will play."

Klopp believes the continuity in his squad could work in their favour.

"It’s about working together on the training ground, that will probably be an advantage for us, we work quite a while with each other.

"I know people don’t want to hear that but we did it for our own club reasons. We always want to improve the squad but there are different ways."

Former Liverpool defender Mark Lawrenson believes Klopp's side are well equipped to retain their Premier League title.

"You have to trust the manager, he has improved things every single year," Lawrenson told The Football Show on Off The Ball.

"I think Naby Keita is going to be a big player for them this season. He showed signs at the end of last season that he'd settled down. His English is far better for communication.

"He'll be a big bonus. Would it be a big blow if Wijnaldum went? I don't think he's irreplaceable and I think they'll go out and buy the boy from Bayern Munich [Thiago Alcantara] if he thinks that Wijnaldum is going to Barcelona."

Lawrenson also believes Klopp will trust the younger players at the club to fill in over the season.

"He's also very keen on these kids and I know they are inexperienced, but who is Klopp going to get who is seriously going to challenge for a place in the team?

"I'm not talking about relying on them week-in week-out, but I wouldn't mind betting that by the end of the season one of them will have played a lot of games for Liverpool."


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BBC Chelsea Jurgen Klopp Liverpool Manchester City Premier League

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