Klopp not angry with Liverpool despite being unable to afford Bellingham

Jürgen Klopp has said he is not angry with the Liverpool owner, Fenway Sports Group, about the club’s resources in the transfer market, despite being unable to afford Borussia Dortmund’s midfielder Jude Bellingham as part of a rebuild.

Liverpool go into Monday night’s trip to Leeds amid a comparatively poor season after finishing second to Manchester City by a point in 2021-22. The club are used to fighting for trophies under Klopp but have fallen short in every competition, leading the manager to plot a busy summer in the transfer market.

One of the key targets was Bellingham but Liverpool will turn their attention elsewhere, with Chelsea’s Mason Mount, Brighton’s Moisés Caicedo and Alexis Mac Allister, Matheus Nunes of Wolves and Ryan Gravenberch of Bayern Munich of interest to Klopp. Bellingham will be targeted by Manchester City, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain, a marketplace in which Liverpool cannot compete, much to supporters’ frustrations.

“I am not angry [with the owners],” Klopp said. “I don’t agree with everything we do but I am employed here and I am not here to be angry about things that will work out or not work out. If I am angry, we won’t all of a sudden have more money and resources to do everything. The way we did things in the past is the way we will do it in the future – that’s the way.

“I cannot change that; nobody could change that. We were pretty successful with that. That we didn’t win the four trophies last year, had nothing to do with the transfer market, that we didn’t sign enough players. Maybe some people would think if we signed certain players, we’d have a point more.”

Draws against Chelsea and Arsenal have improved the picture for Liverpool but they are winless in five matches in all competitions. Some of Klopp’s squad are playing for their futures, aiming to prove they deserve to continue as part of the team.

“We [want to] bring the right players here, who want to fight for the badge, fight for the club, develop with us and everything is fine,” Klopp said. “Fresh legs, fresh minds, stuff like this, then go for it. Then they will be seen as great signings after the season. Maybe not before the season, I have no clue.”