Jurgen Klopp hints at Liverpool transfer in January and offers cheeky response to £250m claim
Jurgen Klopp believes Liverpool are ready to sign players in January if the right opportunity arises after Jamie Carragher called on them to spend £250m.
Klopp are in the market to strengthen their squad and one of their priorities is to sign one or two midfielders.
Their situation has been made more serious with Naby Keita, James Milner and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain out of contract next year.
Jude Bellingham, Enzo Fernandez and Sofyan Amrabat are among the players they are being linked with.
Bellingham is understood to be their main target but Real Madrid and Man City are also in the running to sign him.
Liverpool are currently up for sale with FSG in the process of finding new investment. Mike Gordon recently stepped back from his previous role to focus on a sale.
Klopp was asked about Bellingham during his press conference on Friday. He was quick to insist that they are “always prepared” and will do business in January if it makes sense.
“I am the wrong person to ask, I don’t know. January in our situation is a window where we are always prepared, that’s how it is,” Klopp told reporters.
“It’s clear what ideas we have and how the necessity is from our point of view. All the rest doesn’t lie 100% in our hands. We always work with what we have got and that will not change.”
On sporting director Julian Ward leaving the club, he added: “It was a surprise when Julian told me but we work completely normal together until that day he will leave.
“He is 100% committed and everything is fine. It will have no impact on this period, not at all.”
Earlier this week, Carragher claimed that Liverpool need to spend as much as £250m on new players next summer.
Klopp found the funny side of this statement when it was brought up on Friday.
“Oh, it’s Christmas time huh?” Klopp joked.
“I don’t know about what amount of money you need exactly but I am not against investment to be honest.
“We will see what the future brings. Nobody knows in the moment but I’m convinced it will be good and the future is bright for us. At the moment we have to sort the present and that is what we are working on.”
Liverpool travel to face Unai Emery’s Aston Villa on Boxing Day.
Klopp thinks the ex-Arsenal boss “did an incredible job at Villarreal” before he took over at Villa.
“Yes. But I think what you can expect is a specific type of football,” Klopp added.
“He did an incredible job at Villarreal and what you saw in the first few games, we could see it looks quite similar because it’s a good way to play and it’s his way.
“We don’t know exactly what to expect but at least we have an idea how they will try to cause us problems so that’s what we prepare for.”
On injuries, he continued: “James Milner didn’t get better since then, will be out for a couple of games. Same for Roberto Firmino. We will look day by day with him.
“Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is fine. He was ill like Trent Alexander-Arnold. Trent hopefully will be better, let’s see how that develops.”
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