Jürgen Klopp has insisted that he has the final say on all Liverpool transfers after the club's policy on new signings came under renewed scrutiny following two wins in the past eight Premier League games.
On Sunday, Liverpool failed to score at home against Manchester United and lost 1-0 with £32.5 million signing Christian Benteke on the bench until the 81st minute and the on-loan defender Steven Caulker coming on as Klopp's last substitute.
Klopp, when asked yesterday whether he has the final say on transfers, replied: “Yes. It’s how I am used to work. If I don’t want a player to come to the club he will not come. It’s normal. But does anybody have the final say? For example, say I wanted to take Zlatan Ibrahimovic and we have to pay £100 million plus a big contract at 35 I think I would have to ask first.”
Exeter challenge
Liverpool face Exeter City tonight – a replay after the first leg finished in a 2-2 draw – with the manager still unable to call upon Daniel Sturridge as the striker has not been involved in team training yet.
“Daniel has not been involved in team training since the Newcastle game. He’s had some issues. We will play a similar team to the last time [we played Exeter]. We have to think about who it makes sense [to play], for whom it’s not too difficult, and build a squad for this,” Klopp said.
The manager added that the defender Jon Flanagan, who has not played a first-team game since May 2014, is set to be included in the squad.
“Jon is in a really good way and we are happy. He’s training today – if nothing happens he’s on the bench,” the German said.
Klopp also warned Liverpool’s young talent to put their development before financial reward as he confirmed they will be handed another chance against Exeter. The Liverpool manager has vowed to deploy “a similar team to last time” despite his injury problems easing somewhat since the first encounter at St James Park.
Klopp’s show of faith, however, carried a warning to several young Liverpool players currently in dispute with the club over a new contract.
Jerome Sinclair appears destined for an Anfield exit this summer having rejected terms on an extension, while Jordan Rossiter and João Carlos Teixeira are also in contract stand-offs with their club.
Flanagan is out of contract at the end of this season although his situation has been complicated by serious injury.
The Liverpool manager said: “As a club you cannot make young players happy. That is not possible. It is not the club’s first job. Like in normal life, if it is not easy for you to be happy then no one can help you.
“But what we try is to create a situation where younger players know it is not important to get the highest wages in your life in the first year of your career. It is more important to get the real education and that is what we want to try. For this you always need a lot of things.
“I like Jerome, he is a real talent and if he wants to stay with us – no problem, absolutely no problem. If not, we cannot force it.
“I am fine with the situation but first of all you need young players who want to learn and if we can create a situation where they feel it is the right place to learn then everything is good. That is what we try for next season, we cannot do it now.
Education and training
“As long as he is here he is a Liverpool player, absolutely no problem, but I cannot make decisions for them. We can only offer things and first we need to offer education and training and the possibility to work together with the best coaches and the best players we have. Then it is up to the players.”
Sinclair, a 19-year-old forward, has been linked with a move to Watford. But Klopp added: “I’ve nothing to say about this. Jerome is a very young player, he has skills, he is a very good shooter but physically it is not easy for him to survive in the central position in a Premier League game against 6ft 4in defenders.”
Klopp may have more senior players available for the replay but insists the prospect of injury recurrences after intensive Premier League games against Manchester United and Arsenal inside five days will influence his selection against the League Two side.
He explained: “We had a few players who started against Man United and Arsenal who were injured a few weeks ago so we also have to think about whether it makes sense and whether it is too dangerous to start them again. We will put together a squad that can win the game but we must also think about re-injuries.”
(Guardian Service)
