Liverpool remain ambitious despite frugal close season, insists chairman

Liverpool chairman Tom Werner has defended the club’s lack of action in the transfer market, insisting they remain ambitious.

While Manchester City have invested in Rodri, Tottenham and Arsenal have broken their transfer records on Tanguy Ndombele and Nicolas Pepe respectively, and Manchester United are set to splash out on Harry Maguire, European champions Liverpool have cut a low profile in this window.

The Reds have only brought in teenagers Sepp van den Berg and Harvey Elliott.

Manager Jurgen Klopp insisted in July Liverpool “cannot do it [spend] constantly” and that his “team is really good and we have invested a lot in it”.

Werner agrees, highlighting the depth of the squad and asserting there is no shortage of ambition from last season’s Premier League runners-up.

“I don’t think it makes strategic sense for an owner to comment on transfer policy while a transfer window remains open,” Werner told The Athletic.

“What I would say is that, as always, Jurgen has articulated the situation really well by pointing not only to the strength we already have but the strength we have to come back.

“Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is back, Rhian Brewster is available properly for the first time, I’d say, Naby Keita [is] a year on, I could go on.

Team performance
Hunger for more trophies
@premierleague

Klopp was encouraged by the signs #LFC showed with their performance in today’s Community Shield tie against @ManCity…https://t.co/Kay13i8bzI

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) August 4, 2019

“It’s also a very high-quality team and squad, which makes signing players who are better than we currently have more challenging.

“What I would say is that we always remain ambitious and we remain committed to keeping this amazing squad together and at a level where it can be competitive for all the big trophies.”

Werner also is not concerned Klopp has not yet agreed to an extension to his Liverpool contract, which expires in 2022.

He says the former Borussia Dortmund coach is a “really perfect” match for Liverpool and is confident the club’s appreciation for their manager is clear.

“What comes through from Jurgen is what a kind, humble, intelligent, confident and good-humoured leader he is,” Werner said.

“He’s obviously the right person for Liverpool. We were convinced of that the first time John [W Henry], Mike [Gordon] and I met him in New York.

“The match between the aspirations of our fanbase, the history of the club and Jurgen, they match up in a way that is really perfect. I’m sure he could have taken a job at any other top club but I think this has been a great match.”

The chairman added: “I’d rather not talk too much about private conversations that we’ve had but suffice to say that we all think he’s just exceptional. Jurgen knows what we think of him.”