Jurgen Klopp jokes he needs his lawyer as he gives verdict on Chelsea spending
Jurgen Klopp has joked that he would need a lawyer present before he made his opinion known on Chelsea's transfer spending.
The Blues have shattered the British transfer record this week, adding Enzo Fernandes from Benfica for more than £100m. That has taken their spending under Todd Boehly to well over £600m with the likes of Mykhaylo Mudryk, Wesley Fofana and Raheem Sterling also arriving.
Klopp has achieved huge successful with Liverpool, but has done so with a modest net spend in comparison to their rivals during his tenure. He has spoken out against the huge sums available to other Premier League outfits, but kept tight-lipped when quizzed on Chelsea's expenditure with Financial Fair Play (FFP) also a factor.
He joked: "I say nothing without my lawyer. I don't understand this part of the business but it's a big number. They are all really good players so congratulations. I don't understand how it's possible, but it's not for me to explain how it works."
Chelsea have not only spent big, but also handed huge contracts to new arrivals with Mudryk signing an eight-and-a-half year deal at Stamford Bridge. UEFA are now set to tighten their rules around contract lengths amid claims they are a way of getting around FFP regulations.
Chelsea complete record-breaking Enzo Fernandez transfer after deadline day rushLiverpool have offloaded players throughout Klopp's time at Anfield with the money raised going back into the squad. Philippe Coutinho is their most expensive sale with his funds allowing them to sign the likes of Virgil van Dijk and Alisson, who have powered them to domestic and European honours.
Klopp has spent a net £55m this term, adding Darwin Nunez for a club-record fee in the summer. The two seasons prior to this they spent a net £56m. Liverpool have competed against the likes of Manchester City, who are backed by their Abu Dhabi owners.
He has previously taken a swipe at Pep Guardiola's side, stating in October: "City won't like it, nobody will like it, but you know the answer. What does Liverpool do? We cannot act like them. It's not possible, not possible. Nobody can compete with City. You have the best team in the world and you put in the best striker on the market. No matter what it costs, you just do it.”
Klopp then added on the likes of Newcastle and PSG: "It's just clear: there are three clubs in world football who can do what they want financially. It's legal, everything is fine, but they can do whatever they want. Competing with them? It's not possible to deal with that."