Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp took a veiled dig at fellow clubs Manchester City and Newcastle United, for ruining the game by using their unstoppable financial prowess. The two clubs, owned by their respective middle-eastern owners have spent massively in recent transfer windows to bulk up their teams. The reigning Premier League champions have done so more often than the Magpies who got their new Saudi owners just before the winter transfer market last season.
Ahead of Liverpool’s crunch showdown with Manchester City, Klopp went in furiously at the two clubs after he was asked whether or not his club too will compete them in the transfer markets. Liverpool have been challenging City for the Premier League title for the last five years with spending significantly lower than them over new players. However, the Reds have lifted the league title on just one occasion to City’s four in that period.
Jurgen Klopp insists Liverpool cannot embark on a spending spree like the two clubs
Liverpool did some heavy business this summer, after they had to replace Sadio Mane who left for Bayern Munich. The Reds quickly moved in for Benfica’s Darwin Nunez who had smashed in 34 goals in 41 goals last season. However, he cost Liverpool a club record fee of £85 million with £68 million fixed fee and £17 million in add-ons. It took Liverpool’s total spending from this summer to £122 million as they welcomed three more signings.
Meanwhile, City once again went on a spending spree as they splashed close to £150 million, with their headline acquisition being Erling Haaland for £54 million. Newcastle United, backed by their Saudi owners too conducted some serious business as they forked out £122 million on four new signings. This took the Magpies and City’s combined business since January to a whopping £384 million, to Liverpool’s £122 million. Jurgen Klopp has hit out at such ruthless spending sprees, when asked about whether he too would ask club owners Fenway Sports Group for mammoth funds to compete with the two. The German said:
“You will not like the answer, and you all have the answer already. Nobody can compete with [Manchester] 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. I know City will not like it, nobody will like it. You’ve asked the question but you know the answer.
“What does Liverpool do? We cannot act like them. It is not possible. Not possible. It is just clear and again you know the answer. There are three clubs in world football who can do what they want financially. It’s legal and everything, fine, but they can do what they want financially. They will say ‘yeah but we have…’ but it’s exactly the fact.
“I heard now that at Newcastle somebody [sporting director Dan Ashworth] said ‘there is no ceiling for this club’. Yes! He is right. He is absolutely right. There is no ceiling for Newcastle. Congratulations, but other clubs have ceilings.”
Jurgen Klopp was evidently not happy with the Financial Fair Play not keeping a check on the potential irregularities by these clubs, who splash huge amounts every other transfer window. Liverpool have had their process of recruiting cost-effective players, which has indeed worked for them. He is now however looking to overturn the club’s bad fortunes in the league as they sit 10th in the table with just two wins from eight games. They are next up against the mighty Manchester City who are enjoying Haaland’s exploits, with the striker accumulating 20 goals already in 12 games.