Yahoo News Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp predicts quiet summer as club looks to 'create transfers internally'
Jurgen Klopp has admitted that the financial impact of coronavirus means a busy summer in the transfer market is ‘not likely’ for Liverpool.
The Merseyside club’s 30-year wait for a Premier League title was finally ended last week when nearest challengers Manchester City suffered defeat to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
That made it four trophies in the last two seasons for the manager, who oversaw Champions League victory last term as well as wins in the Uefa Super Cup and Club World Cup earlier in 2019-20.
Unfortunately for Klopp, any attempt to build on those successes by signing players is likely to be delayed by the ongoing pandemic, the cost of which he believes will only become apparent during the later stages of any prospective transfer window.
However, should investment in the squad prove impossible at that point, the German insists he is happy to ‘create transfers internally’ by promoting young talent.
He said: "COVID has of course influenced both sides with ins and outs, that is completely normal. It's just not likely that it will be the most busy summer in the world.
“But maybe at a later point in the year, if the transfer window is still open, we will know more. But this squad...look at it.
"It is not a squad you have to change now and say 'OK, we need this position and this position'. If you are a football supporter, you want a backup for him and him, even if you are completely happy with everyone, you want backups.
"We have a lot of...we don't have a first XI, I say we have a first 16 or 17, they can all play to the same level. But we have to use this, 100 per cent. And what we want to create our transfers internally.
"So now, the first glimpses of Neco Williams, people may have seen him against Arsenal and said 'ah, yes, nice game, he fights a lot'. But if Vitor Matos was not here, [Neco] would not be here because he has helped a lot. So bring the boys up.
"From the other side, Curtis, Harvey, Ki-Jana, Sepp, Yasser, Leighton, Jake Cain, all these boys, they have done really well.
And a few I don't know yet but I will know them. We cannot spend millions and millions and millions because we want to or we think it is nice to do. We never wanted that. We want to strengthen this squad and this squad is strong.
"The problem with a strong squad is how do you improve a strong squad on the transfer market? It works with money, obviously, that is possible. But it never works only with money. You have to be creative and we try to be creative. We try to find solutions internally. And there is still a lot to come. We have three or four players who can make big, big steps. All players can make steps and that is the pressure we make as well, internally.
"So we have these discussions internally and you asked me if I will find solutions and the transfer market and you are right, we did that, 100 per cent. But a lot of the players over the years, we have done smart business and brought some good players in but then something on the training pitch and that is not finished yet.
"People will be afraid that these boys will get lazy. These boys, like they showed at Crystal Palace, they cannot get lazy. It is just not in their nature. I am still here and have a little word with them and convince them before and after we play. We will not stop."
The prospect of following up another major trophy with a quiet summer would be a source of justifiable frustration for most managers - but not Klopp.
The 53-year-old was keen to emphasise that he maintains an excellent working relationship with owners Fenway Sports Group and even joked about his role within the previously maligned ‘Transfer Committee’.
He added: “The relationship is exceptional. It was from the first day, actually.
“From [the first] moment on, we had a very, very good relationship on a professional basis and personal basis as well.
“With Mike, we work closely together – that’s how it is. But it’s Mike, Michael (Edwards) and myself. We pretty much are the Transfer Committee!
“They were my first owners, so I can’t compare them. They are the best owners I have worked for, for sure!
“There is no problem if things don’t happen. You do not kneejerk in this relationship. We have worked brilliantly together.
“First and foremost, they wanted to support us. Not always at first with money but with support in the things we do. That was apparent from the first second. It was always clear.
“We finished eighth in 2016 – ninth would have been the worst ever, right? There was never doubt – not from that side. I’m pretty sure there was doubt from the outside. But from the owners side, there was never.
“They saw the little steps and that helped massively. We could make it, step-by-step.”
The owners’ faith in Klopp has been handsomely rewarded over the course of the last two seasons, but which moment did the man himself feel best summed up the journey he and his players have been on?
Perhaps surprisingly, it is their last outing, a dominant home victory over Crystal Palace, that comes to mind.
Klopp added: "The Crystal Palace game. The Palace game sums it up, sums us up, because all of what these boys did, they did for the club for the people and for what we stand for.
"When you come here there are how many clubs out there you can go to. But if you choose Liverpool over other clubs, then there are two reasons for it: you don’t have another offer, or you do it because you know we are a special kind of club.
"So it is clear. We do it for them, the people, the special connection everyone has. At away games, we usually have fans, not as many but they are there - and we still try to be as emotional, and passionate as possible for this reason – because we chose a special club.
"The Palace game, nobody was there. But we were still together, and playing this game I really wouldn’t have thought it was possible to play like that, in this situation, with the Everton game three days before which was like ‘argh! Didn’t like it too much’…are we really there where we want to be?’ All questions like this.
"Then you play this game. And it really sums us up. Because it is like they wear the Liverpool shirt in this moment and they go with all they have. Whenever, wherever, which time, whatever necessary, they go. And I love that.
"That is what made us a team, what brought us into the position we are in - it is all in this game. 86th minute, losing the ball, chasing it down, winning it back and shooting on the goal of Palace like you have never scored before. That desire, such desire.
"So that was exceptional, and it summed us up. That was the moment when I thought ‘yes, we will be champions. We are not yet but we will be. It was the perfect moment.’"
