16 April 2023 , 21:30
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Jurgen Klopp has told the world the real Liverpool will be back next season, insisting: “You will see - we’ll be ready to fight again.”
And the Reds boss has made clear to disgruntled fans - angry over the apparent surrender in the pursuit of Jude Bellingham - that no matter who the club signs, they will be competitive among the elite once more.
Speaking with passion about his rebuilding project, he said: “We will bring in the right players, who want to fight for the badge, who want to fight with us, want to develop with us, then everything is fine. Fresh legs, fresh minds, we will be ready to fight again.”
Klopp rode a stormy press conference on Friday as he faced the music over his owners’ suggestion they will not be in the fight for Dortmund’s Bellingham in the summer, joking at one point: “I wasn’t prepared for these questions!”
But he is prepared for the rebuild Liverpool in the summer, and he insisted there is absolutely no point in getting emotional over the task ahead: “We play a very average season, we have to do business in the market - we will do it!” he said.
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“Spending in football combined with football knowledge will lead to improvement, that’s very likely. So it’s not rocket science we are talking about. So we have the year we have, but we will be ready to fight again, for whatever. We will see that - you will see that.”
Klopp seemed surprised by the emotional reaction to the news on Bellingham, which was leaked out under curious circumstances, which appeared a huge own goal from the club’s owners.
But he said his job now is simple: to remove ALL emotion, and find the signings in the summer which will make his team a top four certainty once more.
Jurgen Klopp has delivered a message to Liverpool fans over their transfer plans (PA)“Look, obviously now we realise Manchester City didn’t get worse with Haaland, it was a good signing, eh? But because Arsenal plays a good season there’s a big fight,” he added. “City always have played, in a lot of games where we beat them, they played better football, but we beat them anyway, and that’s the truth last time as well.
“This time it didn’t work out, but not because we were not in a situation to create this mentality on the pitch, to be this kind of unbeatable monster. And we didn’t lose one game this year because of the other teams, because they have this and they are better…that is all still possible for us.
“If we can start now again, in this club, to just be happy if we can do more or the same as others, who cares what others are doing, who cares?”
That was a pointed message to the fans, with Klopp insisting he will stay calm and make the right signings to ensure Liverpool are much stronger next season.
“If I react like a supporter then it is, ‘how can they do this, how can they do that, he doesn’t get this, or he doesn’t get that’. Who cares? We just have to sort it.
“And we will. Then great, then go for it, and they will be seen as the great signings after the season, maybe not before the season - I have no clue - because they play incredible football.
“So all good, all these kind of things again - next year there’s space for us again, if we can get consistency.”
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Klopp has Luis Diaz back for the visit to Leeds on Monday night, and Thiago could also return to the starting line up.