Klopp makes pointed remark on Liverpool future after Bellingham transfer failure

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Klopp makes pointed remark on Liverpool future after Bellingham transfer failure
Klopp makes pointed remark on Liverpool future after Bellingham transfer failure

Jurgen Klopp won’t walk away from Liverpool if he doesn’t get the funds to sign Jude Bellingham, insisting: “This is my club.”

The Reds boss insisted he is far too professional to get angry - and suggested that even if he did, it wouldn’t change anything as far as Anfield finances are concerned. Though he didn’t refer to Bellingham in person, Klopp made clear that he doesn’t think it is sensible to pursue a player that may not be available, or is outside Liverpool’s budget when they need several big signings in the summer.

And when it was pointed out that he could have his pick of clubs who COULD afford such a signing, he replied: “But this is my club. Nothing. You want to suggest I quit here and wait for the next top job? Really? This is my club.”

On the subject of Bellingham, Klopp hinted strongly that Liverpool simply haven’t had enough encouragement to believe they can sign him this summer…and suggested that such a blind pursuit could jeopardise other important signings.

And he added: “What you want to know is as I sit here, am I angry that we can’t do this or that. No I am not. I am not, I don’t agree all the time with everything we do…but I am employed here.

Klopp's dream Liverpool line up as last-gasp January transfers rejected eiqreidrqiudinvKlopp's dream Liverpool line up as last-gasp January transfers rejected

“I am not here to be angry about things that will work out or not. If I am angry we don’t all of a sudden have more money, or the resources to do everything. So it’s rubbish (to get angry), it’s not ok - I’m too much of a professional.

“You work with it, make the best of it. We are not children. If a five-year-old wants a Ferrari for Christmas. You wouldn’t say, ‘oh that is a good idea.’ You would say that is too expensive. Anyway you cannot drive it. If this kid then spends his whole life unhappy because he cannot get a Ferrari then that is a sad life.”

Klopp makes pointed remark on Liverpool future after Bellingham transfer failureLiverpool will not sign Jude Bellingham this summer (Getty Images)

Klopp knows the subject of Bellingham is an emotional one for the fans, with many worried he would walk away from the Anfield job after being so keen on signing him for the past three years.

But he made clear the club simply weren’t getting the right vibes from the interested parties - the player himself and his club Borussia Dortmund - to make a deal seem worth pursuing.

“We have to make sure, we have to make decisions for the team, for the club and we cannot dream, we cannot be angry if we don’t get this or we don’t get that. If there’s no chance for it, why should we do that?” he said.

“The budget is important and then timing is important, knowing when things can happen is important. Guarantees are important, if we go for it, whether will we get it is important. If you put too much focus on something you only might get, all the rest of the market could be gone.

“The first thing is when you are convinced about something and you want to do it then you need to create a feeling that when the process is happening it can work out. If you don’t have that feeling then it just holds you back.

“You cannot fight for Kylian Mbappe from now on and say, ‘that’s the only offensive player we want’ and you realise then he goes to Real Madrid or stays at PSG, as an example. That makes no sense.

“The prices you maybe know or maybe you don’t and prices change over time but that’s it. I never understood why we constantly talk about things we theoretically cannot have. ”

Klopp DID admit to sometimes being unhappy about not getting the targets he wants, but he admitted it wasn’t his call on budget…and the past has shown Liverpool can still compete in the transfer market.

Liverpool transfer window winners & losers as £37m spent on Klopp's "great day"Liverpool transfer window winners & losers as £37m spent on Klopp's "great day"

“Again it is clear other clubs can do in some situations more than us - I am the wrong person to ask about that, but that’s it,” he said. “I am always here explaining it, and that is the bit that is not so cool to be honest. It is not my money we are talking about.

Klopp makes pointed remark on Liverpool future after Bellingham transfer failureJurgen Klopp has vowed not to quit Liverpool (Getty Images)

“It is a heated thing, but now we see, there are 12 midfielders we could sign. There are a lot of good players out there, honestly, yeah a lot of good players - and we are interested in all good players, and some of them will end up here.”

Asked if that will allow him to take Liverpool back to the top - after this season’s dramatic collapse - in the three remaining years he has on his contract, he replied defiantly.

“For us playing football to be successful, yes it must be possible, of course it is possible to rebuild in three years. Of course it is better to play much better football than we did this year, it must be possible.

“The way we did things in the past is the way we will do it in the future, that is the way. I cannot change that, and nobody could change that, by the way.

“Bring in a new manager, he sits there, that’s the numbers, and here we go - that’s the situation. It will not change. It is fine, we were pretty successful with that, it’s fine.”

David Maddock

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