LIVERPOOL, England (Reuters) – Liverpool are an attractive prospect for players in the transfer market even if they are not assured of a place in the Champions League next season, manager Juergen Klopp said on Friday.
Fifth-placed Liverpool are making a late charge for the top-four in the Premier League and a berth in Europe’s lucrative competition, with Klopp’s team only a point behind Manchester United having played a game more.
“If I’m allowed to talk to a player, we cannot say in the moment if we have Champions League football. So, if we’re already talking, then it is already clear that he already knows about that situation,” Klopp told reporters.
“It’s obvious we have to be part of the Champions League, fight for trophies… If you want to be part of that, you’re more than welcome. We cannot guarantee Champions League football.
“But all the rest is the same as before: a fantastic club with a really good football team – and a better one hopefully next year. It’s really that simple. Still Liverpool. We’re really attractive to a lot of players.”
Liverpool have three league games left this season, starting with Monday’s trip to Leicester City.
Leicester produced one of the greatest sporting achievements when they won the league in 2015-16 after starting the campaign as 5,000-1 outsiders, but they are fighting for survival this season, sitting two points adrift of the safety zone.
Klopp expects Monday’s game to be a testing encounter for Liverpool.
“I’ve told the boys already, this is now the real fight. A home game for Leicester, they need all the points they can get. It will be a super difficult and super intense game,” Klopp said, adding that Roberto Firmino and Naby Keita are still absent through injury.
Having won their last six league games to jump three spots to fifth, Klopp said his team are moving in the right direction.
“This period is super important because it gives us all a massive hint on how it (the future) could look,” Klopp said.
“We all know we are in the early stages, we have to improve, to make things more natural and more clear for the boys of what we want exactly.”
(Reporting by Manasi Pathak in Bengaluru; Editing by Toby Davis)
