The manager of Liverpool, Jurgen Klopp is not surprised about the financial power play of Manchester City, Chelsea, and Manchester United amidst the financial hardship in club football across Europe.
So far in this summer transfer window, Liverpool have managed to sign just a defender, Ibrahima Konate from RB Leipzig for £36 million.
But their major competitors, Manchester City, Manchester United, and Chelsea, have made some big names signings already this summer.
Recall that Manchester City paid £100 million which is a British transfer record to sign 25-year-old English winger Jack Grealish from Aston Villa. While Manchester United, paid Borussia Dortmund a whopping £73 million to bring Jadon Sancho to the Premier League club.
As for Chelsea, the reigning UEFA Champions League winners decided to pay a whopping £97.5 million to Inter Milan to bring Romelu Lukaku to the club. This marked the second time the 28-year-old Belgian striker joined the London-based club. Recall that the Belgium international was at Chelsea between 2011 and 2014 before he was sold to Everton.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic that disrupted football from mid-March to June 2020, and the fact that since March clubs are forced to play behind closed doors, it was not expected that clubs can afford such expensive transfer fees.
During a pre-match press conference ahead of Liverpool vs Norwich City Premier League opener scheduled to kick off at 17:30 on Saturday, Jurgen Klopp noted that Man United, Chelsea, and Man City are not affected by the impact of the pandemic.
Klopp said: “I’m not surprised because these clubs don’t depend on this kind of thing, I think.
“We all know the situations at Chelsea, City, Paris St-Germain. What’s happening at Manchester United, I don’t know – I don’t know how they do it.
“I’m never surprised about the financial power of City, Chelsea, or United. I’ve been in the country long enough to know they always find a solution to do these things.
“For us, it’s our way. We keep the team together, that’s important as well.
“I know it’s not as exciting as signing new players. People think that if you don’t sign, you don’t work – that’s not the case.
“I know it’s not as exciting, but if you’re a real Liverpool fan you’re excited about the news the club delivered in the last few weeks.”
Jurgen Klopp said it would have been so expensive for Liverpool to sign Virgil van Dijk now
Liverpool defender, Virgil van Dijk just renewed his contract with the Merseyside club. His initial contract with the Premier League club was scheduled to expire on June 30, 2023. But Liverpool decided not to take any chances by offering him a new deal.
Virgil van Dijk who spent most parts of last season injured has extended his contract with Liverpool to June 30, 2025.
🤩 𝑯𝑬'𝑺 𝑽𝑰𝑹𝑮𝑰𝑳 𝑽𝑨𝑵 𝑫𝑰𝑱𝑲 🤩 pic.twitter.com/q6lcCA6UjF
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) August 13, 2021
While reacting to the new deal, coach Jurgen Klopp said: “Imagine if we had to buy this boy now. Thank God we only had to give him a new contract.”
While Van Dijk said: “Where I am today, how I feel today, as a very senior, important player for the team and the club. That’s just a fantastic feeling and why I definitely feel at home here.”
Ahead of Liverpool vs Norwich City Premier game, the 30-year-old Dutch defender said: “I feel good. Friendlies, you get your match fitness up, get into repetitions of doing things again and again.
“I feel like I am ready for the weekend, so we’ll see what the manager decides. It is going to be a totally different atmosphere and mindset for me personally as well.”
He’s 𝑶𝑼𝑹 centre-half ✊
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) August 13, 2021
The story continues… @VirgilvDijk 🤩 pic.twitter.com/bQInOG1ba2
