While many of their rivals have made expensive mistakes in the transfer market, Liverpool’s record on new signings has been remarkably successful.
Certainly in the six years Jurgen Klopp has been at Anfield they have got most – if not all – their incoming transfers right with Colombian striker Luis Diaz the latest to hit the ground running.
Klopp says the successful recruitment strategy is down to a number of factors under-pinned by the policy of their American owners, Fenway Sports, that they can “only spend what we earn so we’ve got to get it right.”
First and foremost Liverpool have what Klopp describes as “a brilliant” recruitment department headed up by Michael Edwards with his assistant Julian Ward set to take over this summer who identify players with the skill and character to fit into his demanding tactical approach.
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Timing is important too. Klopp believes that if players like Diogo Jota, Sadio Mane and Mo Salah had spent another season impressing with their former clubs – Wolves, Southampton and Roma – then Liverpool would have had far more competition for their signatures than they did at the time.
Having a settled, successful environment at Anfield also helps he says in the sense that new recruits are not under the added pressure of having to justify their fees by making an immediate difference to the team and are given time to adjust and settle in.
Not that players like Jota, signed early last season, and Diaz, who has impressed in his two appearances so far since his move from Porto, have needed any time, although midfielder Fabinho did when he switched from Monaco.
Donny Van De Beek’s situation at Manchester United – a £40m signing loaned out to Everton after being given minimal playing time in his first 18 months – is a glaring example of what Liverpool have avoided.
“There is no secret here,” said Klopp, “but the situation at this club is that our transfers have to hit the ground because we can’t make a £40m or £50m signing and say that if they are not playing then that is not important.
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“It’s a wealthy club, there are no [financial] problems here, but the policy is clear; we spend what we earn. If we earn more, we can spend more and if we earn less, we spend less. It is not that we cannot do anything [if we earn nothing] but for us it is very important that we have to do absolutely the right thing.
“We have to think once about it, twice, three times, four times and if we have to think about it for a fifth time it might be that the player goes to another club and we cannot change that.
“With Michael Edwards and Julian Ward and their team, we have brilliant people here who make really good proposals. We, as coaches, make good proposals as well and so far we have found, more often than not, the right solution for this team.”
Meanwhile, Klopp has a full squad to choose from for tomorrow’s trip to bottom club Burnley following Sadio Mane’s return from Senegal’s Afcon victory – he’s likely to be on the bench – and captain Jordan Henderson’s recovery from a minor back injury.
Probable Liverpool team (4-3-3): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson; Henderson, Fabinho, Thiago; Salah, Firmino, Jota.
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