Jurgen Klopp gives revealing insight into Liverpool transfer strategy

Jurgen Klopp insists he is finding it tough to find players capable of improving on last season’s team – and is adamant any signings they make have to be long-term additions rather than short-term solutions.

In a wide-ranging interview with the Liverpool Echo, the Reds boss has revealed that Liverpool are still in the market to make a big-name summer signing – and claims the club will feel like they’re getting a new player on board thanks to the return of long-term injury victim Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

However, Klopp insists the club are keen to avoid any knee-jerk signings this summer and is adamant anyone they bring in has to be for the long-term benefit for the club – much in the way that their only addition so far – Sepp van den Berg – will hopefully prove to be.

“Transfer strategy has to be long term,” Klopp told the Echo. “It has to be long term.

“Short term covers the problem, but doesn’t solve it. If someone gets an injury, and you buy someone to fill the position and three weeks later the injured player is back, then you have double quality in the same position.

“Having too much quality doesn’t help with the development of players. It’s good for everybody on the outside, because they can say ‘well if he can’t play, then he can play or he could play’.

“If you’re working together all week and then three of the players (of the same quality in the same position) can’t play, they won’t get any better. It’s not just about them staying confident in that kind of situation.

“You have to create a situation where you NEED the player, you need the boys. That’s what we try. We have 100% always long-term plans. That’s what is really good about this football club.”

With just van den Berg brought in so far, Klopp has conceded it hasn’t been easy finding players who, for the right price, can improve their side.

“It’s not easy,” says Klopp. “I said last year that to improve the team is not easy with reasonable money. With crazy money, you always can do it – okay, you pay whatever you want, then it’s possible.

“We are not a club like that. We cannot do that. We are really wealthy but we cannot do what some other teams are doing. That’s how it is.

“But we don’t have to. We have to find solutions during the season. Yes, you find sometimes the solution in the transfer market and we have done that. I don’t have to name the players, everybody knows.

“But otherwise you have to find the solutions on the training ground and that’s what we do now.”

Get the latest personalised Reds products on our new TEAMtalk Liverpool shop!