Klopp Talk: We Don’t Care What the World Around Us Is Thinking

Liverpool are spending money this summer.

Granted it’s all money from the Coutinho sale or otherwise generated through revenue, but still, Liverpool have been willing to splash the cash in order to improve the side. Some (mostly supporters of other clubs, mysteriously) have taken issue with this in light of a comment Jürgen Klopp made in 2016 regarding Manchester United signing Paul Pogba, with the manager then saying that “other clubs can spend big money on top players. I want to do it differently. I would even do it differently if I could spend that money”.

Anyway, flash forward to today, and Klopp isn’t overly bothered about things he said two years ago.

“One hundred million was a crazy amount of money”, Klopp told reporters on the preseason tour in the United States. “Since then the world has changed completely and we have signed the most-expensive goalkeeper and all that stuff. We don’t care what the world around us is thinking, like Man United didn’t care about what I said. It’s only an opinion in that moment”.

“Did I change my opinion? Yes. That’s true. But it’s better to change your opinion than never have one”.

Talking more broadly about why expensive signings are made, the German added that “it’s my responsibility to this club to be as successful as possible.

“It’s not about me pushing through my thoughts and saying I don’t want to buy players and I don’t want to pay big money and in the end Liverpool is not successful. That doesn’t work. We have a really good team and a really good squad and to improve it is expensive. To find better players than we already have, they are not waiting around the corner.

“When we are convinced about it, then thank God our ownership believes that much in the project, they say ‘OK, let’s do it’”.

The thing that should be made clear is that Liverpool’s spending is entirely sustainable. The club’s revenue is increasing, both due to general increases in the TV deals and Liverpool’s work in raising the profile of the brand. The club will continue to spend the money it has available in a sensible way, regardless of the headlines. That we are now able to sign high profile, high quality players is a reason for us all to rejoice.