Jurgen Klopp gives a big hint that Liverpool have given up on signing Virgil van Dijk...or any other defender
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is not ruling anything out in the transfer market
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp appears to have brought down the curtain on his side's enduring wait to sign Southampton centre-back Virgil van Dijk, in comments that may not be welcomed by the club's supporters.
Van Dijk held transfer talks with Liverpool earlier this year, before he had been given permission by his club to speak to Klopp over a big-money summer move to Anfield.
Liverpool were then forced to issue an apology to Southampton over their unsolicited approach for the Dutch defender and vowed not to make any further efforts to sign him.
Yet Klopp and the Liverpool hierarchy are believed to have been waiting for the green light to sign Van Dijk in recent weeks, with the player confirming on several occasions that he wants to leave and join Liverpool.
As revealed by Independent.ie, Southampton made it clear to Van Dijk last week that he would not be granted his wish to leave this summer, just a year after he signed a six-year contract with the club.
Now Klopp has suggested he is not looking to add to his defensive options, as he hinted his transfer spending will be directed in other areas of his team ahead of the August 31st deadline.
"We have four (centre-backs). I don’t think we need more," Klopp stated.
"In the moment I’m fine. We are open until the 31st (of August), but we cannot force the things and we would never get a centre-back just because.
"We have the need, we have some but you don’t take any. It doesn’t work.
"Look out there and tell me five that would make us stronger, five. Then you win a prize! It’s difficult how it is.
"I’m happy. You can imagine we still work on different things and we will see if it works.
"I am here to work with this squad and not just always thinking ‘but if we don’t get this or this’. No. We could play tomorrow. It’s better that we don’t have to, but we could play tomorrow.
"Let’s wait until August 31. Then we will talk about it (the strength of the squad). Why should we talk about this today?"
Liverpool fans were hoping to see their club spending big this summer ahead of a return to Champions League action later this month, but Mohamed Salah is their only big money arrival so far.
Klopp's latest comments suggest he is paving the way for what may be a quiet final few weeks of the transfer window at Liverpool.
