Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool pressers are never short of entertainment. Another piece of it was served by the German as he sat with the reporters for his pre-Brighton press conference. To no surprise, things got a bit heated this time as Klopp snapped back at one of the reporters who quizzed him over Liverpool’s transfer plans. The Reds were active even before the January window opened, snatching away Cody Gakpo from the clutches of Manchester United.
However, since the highly-rated winger’s arrival in December, Liverpool have been inactive in the market. Moreover, at a time when they evidently need reinforcements given the poor run of results and heavy injuries in the squad, its strange that a club which was pro-active about a transfer, have cooled down. Add to it, Jurgen Klopp getting that angry face after being asked about more spending, told the whole story.
Jurgen Klopp’s anger may be the testament to his urge for signings
Liverpool’s major need of a new signing wasn’t required in the attacking department department, until the long term injuries to Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota, and a fresh blow to Roberto Firmino. The Reds need midfield reinforcements, where they lack serious options, and possess more of fringe players. It was believed that Liverpool will certainly go for a midfielder in the January market, after missing out on Aurelien Tchouameni in the summer, and the unfortunate knee surgery required by their loan acquisition Arthur Melo.
Although their main target remains Jude Bellingham, Borussia Dortmund have been clear that he is free to go in the summer [at their price], but not in the middle of a season. A number of young talents as well as established internationals were linked with the Reds, but Jurgen Klopp has now confirmed that there won’t be anymore signings, and that it won’t solve their problems either. However, that came in a very frustrated way, as on being asked about new incomings, he snapped back at a reporter:
“I’ve done 6,000 press conferences at Liverpool and you were part of 5,999 of them. In different seats, but you were always there. Do I have to tell you the money story again? Really? Do I have to tell you again? What could be the reason? That we have money like crazy but we don’t buy the players even if they are available?
“Why are you asking questions when the answer is on the table? I really don’t understand that. I really don’t understand that. You drove here today and this is the question you ask? You know the answer!”
“On top of that [finances] four of our offensive players are injured, they will come back. We will have seven strikers then, we can’t even put them all on the Champions League list. Injuries are a big shadow over us. You cannot solve it all in the transfer window, sometimes you have to. If somebody is out there and someone tells me yes we can do it then we will do it, but for this situation, I don’t think it will happen.”
While Jurgen Klopp got heated about the question, it may be the slightest of hints that the German is actually crying for some more players. Liverpool’s midfield crisis is no new, as they haven’t signed a solid personality in that area since acquiring Thiago Alcantara in the summer of 2020. However, he is past 30 as well, and majority of their recent starters in the midfield, Jordan Henderson, James Milner, Fabinho, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are either beyond that mark or approaching it.
In such desperate times, it seems as if Jurgen Klopp is not ready to wait until the summer, when Liverpool negotiate for Bellingham. Again, the talented England international is not a guarantee since Real Madrid, Manchester City, Chelsea, PSG and Bayern Munich are also in the running to swoop him from Dortmund. The likes of Naby Keita, Oxlade-Chamberlain, James Milner and Arthur Melo could also be moved on, and it will demand more than a couple of signings in the midfield.