Klopp gives major Liverpool business hint in response to Lukaku, Grealish transfers
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp says that Romelu Lukaku and Jack Grealish’s transfers to Chelsea and Manchester City do not surprise him.
The Blues and City have made statement signings ahead of the new season. England international Grealish cost Pep Guardiola £100million, while Lukaku’s move came in at a nearby £97.5million. Both players will serve crucial purposes for their clubs and will heat up the Premier League title race.
Liverpool, meanwhile, have spent £36million on defender Ibrahima Konate. However, a second major arrival of the summer looks unlikely, as Klopp made clear in a clash with a reporter on Friday.
Asked if he felt surprised at Lukaku and Grealish’s moves following the coronavirus pandemic affecting clubs’ finances across Europe, Klopp insisted the opposite.
“No because these clubs don’t depend on this,” he told reporters at his pre-match press conference (via Twitter). “We all know the situation of Chelsea, we all know the situation of City and PSG. What Man Utd’s doing exactly, I don’t know how they do it.
“We have our way and that’s always been the same. We are allowed to spend the money we earn and that’s what we always did.
“This season we spent before we earned on Ibou [Konate] because it was clear we cannot take any risks in that position at all.”
However, Klopp then added that his club have shown ambition by tying several key stars down to new contracts. He also confirmed that more players will follow.
“I know it’s not as exciting as signing players for the outside world, but it looks like always the same. People think if you don’t sign, you don’t work,” he said.
“That’s not the case. We are constantly thinking about the present and the future. Maybe not the most exciting, but if you are a real Liverpool fan you are really happy about the news the club delivered in the past few weeks.
“Signing Alisson Becker until I don’t know when, the same with Trent Alexander-Arnold, Fabinho and Virgil [van Dijk].
“Others will follow and that’s absolutely great news, it’s just not as spectacular out there. If other teams wanted to sign these players, they would have to pay a lot of money and we have them already.”
Klopp on Van Dijk, Liverpool deal
Asked about Van Dijk’s extension, which Liverpool announced on Friday morning, Klopp said: “Yes, great news. The good thing about this signing is we know him already, we used him already quite successfully.
“We are really happy that he is happy here. Even more so after the difficult last year, that he is back on track.
“Imagine if we had to buy this boy now. Thank God we only had to give him a new contract.”
Liverpool face Norwich in their season opener on Saturday evening.
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