Liverpool don´t need to spend in January – Klopp

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp admitted he is willing to give his crop of players a chance rather than splash the cash in the January transfer window. 

Klopp is prepared to spend money but with several players returning from injury it may not be necessary. 

Captain Jordan Henderson is back after several weeks out, while Jon Flanagan and Mamadou Sakho are expected to return soon.

“It’s much more important to work with people and if you trust them they have to feel it – and not just for two days but for a longer time,” Klopp said. 

“That’s not how the world should run. If we have problems it’s not with quality, it’s maybe with concentration or other things. But we don’t know if players we get will do it better. I’d give the advice to stay cool and see what happens.

“If we need something we will do it, not talk about it before. In this moment I don’t think about it. No one should be in doubt that we are prepared for any situation. We have 24 hours always at work.

“We always watch players on video but if we take them in winter, in summer or never I don’t know at this moment.

“Jon Flanagan will come back in next week, then we will have two left-backs and two right-backs. I don’t feel we have to look at other people just because they cost £20 million.”

Klopp added: “We have four centre-backs when Mama [Sakho] is back – Kolo [Toure] is the fourth because of his age but now he’s always available.

“In midfield we have Hendo [Jordan Henderson] back so that’s like a new option for us. We have other offensive players and we have more strikers than others, so where is the space? In January we have don’t know how many games we have, maybe every three days, so we have to be prepared.

“We know all the players in world football. Some fit us, some don’t. The challenge for us over the next month and years is to rotate but not to lose quality. You need 20-22 high quality players who are ready for it.”

A bonus for Klopp has been Australian international Brad Smith, who made his senior starting debut for the club against Sion in the Europa League on Thursday.

The 21-year-old was not even signed with the club two months ago after a contract dispute that lasted several months.

“You know it was a difficult story with him and when I first came he wasn’t here,” Klopp said.

“I said ‘who’s this? I saw a few videos and in training and he’s a good boy. He is very fast and has perfect cross. He can get better in everything but he’s a good boy and I like to work with him.”