James Pearce has revealed the stance Jurgen Klopp adopts at Liverpool when his players are the subject of transfer interest from other sides.
The futures of both Jordan Henderson and Fabinho appear somewhat in the air at the moment with the former reportedly agreeing to join Saudi outfit Al Ettifaq while Al-Ittihad are considering a £40m move for the latter.
Our German tactician will never prevent a player from leaving the club if it’s their wish to do so but he will ensure that any potential departures don’t scupper his and the team’s plans.
“Klopp’s stance throughout his Anfield tenure has been that he won’t make anyone stay against their wishes, as long as there’s a deal on the table that makes sense for the club and there’s sufficient time to find a replacement,” Pearce wrote for The Athletic. “Philippe Coutinho had to sit tight in the summer of 2017 before finally getting his wish the following January when Barcelona struck a £142m deal.
“In the years since, with the glory he has overseen, Klopp has succeeded in turning Liverpool into a final destination for elite talent rather than a stepping stone. But the salaries being offered by Saudi clubs are a game-changer.
“Roberto Firmino attracted interest from a host of European clubs following the end of his contract at Liverpool but opted to sign for Al Ahli instead given the financial incentives. He could soon be joined by some familiar faces.”
READ MORE: Al-Ettifaq’s Henderson budget revealed ahead of crunch negotiations – report
Liverpool’s transfer business so far had seen them bid farewell to Bobby Firmino, James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita while welcoming Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai to L4.
There was plenty of reason for optimism ahead of the new campaign but events in the last few days means the plans Klopp had for the remainder of the transfer window and the upcoming season are somewhat up in the air.
His midfield options are already looking a lot different to how they did last term and that could change even more in the coming weeks – rather unexpectedly with the financial strength of teams in the Middle East.
When new signings are made it takes time for them to settle, as seen with Darwin Nunez last season, so welcoming too many players to the club in one window can be an issue – even if it is exciting for us as fans.
We’d be more than happy to see Henderson and Fabinho remain on Merseyside beyond the summer as they still have a lot to give but we’ll just have to wait and see what happens.
#Ep80 of The Empire of the Kop Podcast: Fabinho & Jordan Henderson… going, going, gone?🎙️