Klopp Not Concerned With Competitors’ Transfer Dealings

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Liverpool’s manager takes no joy from watching other teams scramble to make late signings as it doesn’t affect Liverpool’s transfer strategy.

It’s been clear for quite some time that one of Jürgen Klopp’s least favorite interview topics is transfers. He is constantly being asked if Liverpool plan to sign this player or that player, if they plan to try and replace so and so, or if they’ll make an emergency signing due to an injury.

It’s rare to get much more than a “We’re happy with the players we have,” or something noncommital and alluding to LFC’s typical strategy of letting nothing slip until a deal is nearly done. Media at this week’s press conference found out it was even harder to get information out of Klopp when it comes to the transfer dealings of his competitors.

When asked if he took joy in seeing his rivals scramble to make signings late in the window to complete their squads while his squad is set, he shot the idea down immediately and emphatically before admitting he simply doesn’t follow the transfer business of other teams very closely.

“If I would feel joy in that then I would deserve the injuries we have, to be honest,” said Klopp.

“I’m not sure whether not caring less is the right phrase. I follow and see when the teams do something or not or whatever, but most of the time I am the last person to get the information.

“There’s no joy in that some teams are trying (to sign players). Other teams have finished their business as well. It’s nothing to do with us.”

Klopp is the manager of LFC, so it’s LFC’s transfer business that he is concerned with. The Reds don’t adapt their transfer policy in reaction to signings made by other clubs, so there is little reason to pay much attention to who other clubs may or may not sign or sell.

“We cannot increase the rhythm or find money because other teams sign players and we say ‘Oh no, we have to do as well, because they signed him we now need him’. We have to be completely independent of whatever whoever is doing, and we are.

“We try to sort our situation, which is difficult enough very often but it’s our situation at least. That’s the only one we can have influence on. That’s why it’s the only one I’m concerned about.”