Jurgen Klopp’s new Liverpool contract shows Mbappe and Sancho transfers are no pipe dream

As Jurgen Klopp addressed the media ahead of the visit of Watford, the Liverpool manager’s message was clear: “When you bring new players in, they ask how long will the manager be here? We wanted to avoid that.” He has committed his future until 2024, something the German describes as “good news for some, not so good for others.”

He is right. His renewal is a huge statement of ambition that Liverpool are not just back, but they’re here to stay.

Before his appointment and even in the first few seasons of his reign, players would come and go from the club.

Now Anfield is a final destination for players and no longer a step below Barcelona and Real Madrid, as proved in last season’s Champions League.

Klopp’s comments about new players joining the club shows that discussions will have taken place in the boardroom about more marquee signings.

In truth, Liverpool have endured a quiet spell in the market after a stellar summer of recruitment in 2018.

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Ahead of the Merseyside derby, Klopp defused talk surrounding Sancho, who has been left unhappy at his former club Borussia Dortmund.

“He’s a very good player,” Klopp said at Melwood before the 5-2 win over Everton. “I have no clue where these kind of things [the rumours] are coming from, but it cannot come from us because we never speak about it.

“If we would be involved, nobody would know about it apart from a person who wouldn’t speak about it. There’s nothing to say. I know how it sounds, but I cannot change that. There’s nothing to say about it, which can mean there’s absolutely nothing to say about it.”

Klopp is absolutely right. Since the arrival of Michael Edwards three years ago, the club have shown a new level of innovation off the field.

They nearly paid a heavy price in the summer of 2017 when their pursuit of Virgil van Dijk landed them in hot water with the Premier League over alleged tapping up.

However after a humiliating apology they sealed the deal six months later and ever since their misguided approach, they have operated with stealth and conviction in the market.

That’s why when Klopp says if Liverpool are involved nobody would know about it, he is telling the truth. The Reds are not interested in bidding wars and inflation, when they move for a player it’s with the belief it will get done.

Klopp’s contract shows they’re about to roll out a new five-year strategy.

While it remains unlikely that Mohamed Salah or Sadio Mane will leave the club, should they wish to do so, Mbappe and Sancho would be obvious contenders to replace them.

But if there is one thing Klopp is yet to do at Liverpool in the market, it’s buy a top class out and out No 9.

In Roberto Firmino, he has a unique attacker who brings the best from their inside forwards but as shown in the midweek win at Salzburg, Klopp has a tendency to move Salah more centrally.

That could be the way to evolve this team even further, the arrival of Mbappe and Sancho would give them greater leverage to do so.

The PSG star has already confessed his admiration for Liverpool and Klopp and having conquered France with both his current club and Monaco, he will surely be eyeing a new challenge in the near future. For that reason there is hope.

Furthermore Klopp’s Dortmund connections could provide the groundwork for a potential deal for Sancho and if he is looking to move back to England, there isn’t a better projected tailored to his quality.

Having overturned record-breaking £125million profit over the 2017/18 financial year, there is every reason why Liverpool will have masses of cash to spend over the next few seasons, particularly given their success on both the domestic and continental scene. Klopp’s contract could be the sign of things to come.

source: express.co.uk