Jurgen Klopp, without discussing potential names directly, has told Sky Sports about the profile of player he wants at Liverpool next season, with the upcoming summer transfer window in mind.
The manager is taking charge of his 50th Liverpool game this evening against Chelsea, but bar a few minutes from loanee Steven Caulker, Klopp’s used the squad he inherited from Brendan Rodgers throughout his first seven months.
As a result, you can certain the German and his coaching team will look to bring in some of their favoured names, with multiple links dong the rounds ever since Klopp took charge. We’ve already acquired Joel Matip and Marko Grujic ahead of next season, but more stars can be expected.
“You need to be a little bit more independent from the injury situation,” Klopp began.
“When we have a good pre-season and when we can give the boys a good base it should be different, really different.
“You can never be sure, so of course we need players. We’ll try to find players that will give us the opportunity to become better.
“If they are better then good, but if they are the same level that would be really good too. Then we can push each other onto another level.”
Klopp’s quotes indicate that he’s happy to simply bolster the squad, which will disappoint many Reds hoping we’ll sign big names to walk straight into the first-team.
Ultimately, Klopp wants signings that fit Liverpool’s ethos – having brought the squad and fans together in unity since taking charge.
“In the end I hope I have a team together who likes working together and who likes working for Liverpool and who feels the responsibility about the club and the power of this club,” he continued.
“If we can do this then we can be really strong and we can win something – but I don’t know what.”
Whoever Klopp chooses, he’ll have the full backing from Liverpool supporters. At Dortmund, Klopp signed multiple little-known players who went on to become superstars, such as Mats Hummels, Robert Lewandowski and Shinji Kagawa.
And he’s shown with the likes of Dejan Lovren, Joe Allen and Adam Lallana that he can transform the fortunes of the previously maligned.