How Jurgen Klopp's comments leave door open for Liverpool transfers as lack of activity comes into focus
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp used to his first press conference in America to seemingly leave the door to Melwood ajar.
The Reds boss, fresh from watching his side win the Champions League in Madrid, was back under the media's glare in the United States last week.
The European champions, as had been anticipated for much of the calendar year, are reluctant to dive deep into the market for replenish their squad with big-money additions this summer.
After a 2018 that saw them spend close to £250million, the Reds are much better placed to merely tweak their playing staff ahead of the upcoming season.
So far, just 17-year-old Sepp van den Berg has arrived at the club, with a modest £1.3million deal being sealed with Dutch side PEC Zwolle.
Repeated links to high-profile players across the continent have proven to be inaccurate, but Klopp posed something of a teaser when speaking to the assembled press in Indiana last week.
Indeed, it was the subtext rather than the manager's expected comments that provided the most intrigue.
Hot on the lips of many transfer-hungry Liverpool supporters is what players will arrive at Melwood during the window to make sure the club strengthens from a position power.
At one stage in the press conference in Notre Dame, ahead of the defeat against Borussia Dortmund, Klopp spoke about how he expects to achieve success next season.
"The main problem is that the others don’t sleep so we have to be ready," he said in the final line of his explanation.
That comment suggests Klopp and Liverpool are keenly aware of what their main rivals around Europe and in the Premier League are up to, with the major Spanish clubs spending huge amounts of money.
The likes of Juventus have added some incredible talent to their ranks and back home other English clubs are also spending with intent - leaving the German boss to wonder if he needs to sign a player to keep his side at the top of the game.
It also gave a nod to the transfer declaration Klopp made to the club's official website less than 24 hours later.
“I’m happy with the team, we are really happy”, the 52-year-old said.
“We have to see if we find maybe one position, if we find something for it, but there’s no real pressure because it’s not about signing a player. We have solutions for all the situations.
“Do we have exactly the solution that everybody from outside would be 100 per cent happy? I don’t think so because people want to have world-class here, world-class here and the guy on the bench has to be world-class as well. That’s not so easy. But we are of course working on it.”
The one position Klopp could be talking about is left-back.
Andy Robertson is the only recognised senior left-back option in Liverpool's ranks - and he will need back up this season.
Of course, there are solutions to that.
James Milner or maybe even Joe Gomez could play in that position if required while pre-season will give Klopp a chance to look at Academy youngsters Yasser Larouci and Adam Lewis to see if they are good enough to make the step up or if they need to continue their development.
However, if the youngsters aren't quite ready and Gomez takes his natural centre-back position while Milner is needed in the midfield the Reds will need a player and it leaves Klopp with an interesting transfer question about who he might bring in.
The Reds boss, fresh from watching his side win the Champions League in Madrid, was back under the media's glare in the United States last week.
The European champions, as had been anticipated for much of the calendar year, are reluctant to dive deep into the market for replenish their squad with big-money additions this summer.
After a 2018 that saw them spend close to £250million, the Reds are much better placed to merely tweak their playing staff ahead of the upcoming season.
So far, just 17-year-old Sepp van den Berg has arrived at the club, with a modest £1.3million deal being sealed with Dutch side PEC Zwolle.
Repeated links to high-profile players across the continent have proven to be inaccurate, but Klopp posed something of a teaser when speaking to the assembled press in Indiana last week.
Indeed, it was the subtext rather than the manager's expected comments that provided the most intrigue.
Hot on the lips of many transfer-hungry Liverpool supporters is what players will arrive at Melwood during the window to make sure the club strengthens from a position power.
At one stage in the press conference in Notre Dame, ahead of the defeat against Borussia Dortmund, Klopp spoke about how he expects to achieve success next season.
"The main problem is that the others don’t sleep so we have to be ready," he said in the final line of his explanation.
That comment suggests Klopp and Liverpool are keenly aware of what their main rivals around Europe and in the Premier League are up to, with the major Spanish clubs spending huge amounts of money.
The likes of Juventus have added some incredible talent to their ranks and back home other English clubs are also spending with intent - leaving the German boss to wonder if he needs to sign a player to keep his side at the top of the game.
It also gave a nod to the transfer declaration Klopp made to the club's official website less than 24 hours later.
“I’m happy with the team, we are really happy”, the 52-year-old said.
“We have to see if we find maybe one position, if we find something for it, but there’s no real pressure because it’s not about signing a player. We have solutions for all the situations.
“Do we have exactly the solution that everybody from outside would be 100 per cent happy? I don’t think so because people want to have world-class here, world-class here and the guy on the bench has to be world-class as well. That’s not so easy. But we are of course working on it.”
The one position Klopp could be talking about is left-back.
Andy Robertson is the only recognised senior left-back option in Liverpool's ranks - and he will need back up this season.
Of course, there are solutions to that.
James Milner or maybe even Joe Gomez could play in that position if required while pre-season will give Klopp a chance to look at Academy youngsters Yasser Larouci and Adam Lewis to see if they are good enough to make the step up or if they need to continue their development.
However, if the youngsters aren't quite ready and Gomez takes his natural centre-back position while Milner is needed in the midfield the Reds will need a player and it leaves Klopp with an interesting transfer question about who he might bring in.
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