Liverpool actively pursue transfer targets as Jurgen Klopp’s preference for early business shines through

In an ideal scenario, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp prefers to have his transfer dealings concluded prior to the commencement of pre-season preparations.

Looking back at the previous year, Liverpool successfully finalized the signings of Calvin Ramsay, Darwin Nunez, and Fabio Carvalho by June 20, securing their services early on. Similarly, in the preceding year, the acquisition of Ibrahima Konate from RB Leipzig was completed in late May, enabling him to join the team for the summer training camps in Austria and France.

Expressing his desire during the final pre-match press conference of the Premier League season last month, Klopp optimistically hoped for his transfer business to be wrapped up within “six or seven weeks” after the final whistle on May 28.

“The better the players you want, the lesser is the desire of the other club to let him go. And that’s exactly what we are prepared for,” Klopp explained. Acknowledging the lengthy window, pre-season, and breaks in between, he emphasized that the timeline of player arrivals, whether tomorrow or in several weeks, does not drastically affect his approach.

“While signing them tomorrow and instructing them on summer break plans would be ideal, it’s unlikely to happen,” Klopp added.

Having already secured the services of Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton & Hove Albion for a reported fee of around £35 million shortly after the conclusion of Liverpool’s season, attention now shifts to further evaluations. Liverpool continues to assess potential midfield additions, with four prospects featuring in the Under-21s European Championships, scheduled to begin in Romania and Georgia. Ryan Gravenberch from the Netherlands and Khephren Thuram from France have garnered firm interest, while Manu Kone and Gabri Veiga from France and Spain, respectively, are also under consideration.

The desire to finalize transfers earlier stems not only from Klopp’s preference for integrating players into the team’s style of play but also from the unseen benefits of early business. Besides facilitating tactical adjustments, on-field instructions, and meeting the team’s high demands, the pre-season schedule provides an opportunity for new signings to foster camaraderie among the existing tightly-knit group of players, many of whom have been pivotal figures at Anfield for the past five years.

Recalling the summer of 2018, when Naby Keita joined Liverpool from RB Leipzig for £52 million, the Guinean midfielder arrived with limited English proficiency. However, a bonding session during the club’s stay in Evian played a vital role in establishing connections with his new teammates. Keita and Daniel Sturridge, for instance, bonded during a karaoke night, performing a duet of Mario’s 2004 hit “Let Me Love You.”

“He’s a good laugh, but he’s also given me a lot of advice about the settling-in process and also in terms of motivation,” Keita later expressed, referring to his friendship with Sturridge. “He’s a very positive and motivating player, so this month has been very good, and I’ve spent a lot of time with him. He’s a great guy.”

Keita further shared his experience of participating in the customary initiation ceremony for new arrivals, where players had to showcase their singing skills. Xherdan Shaqiri’s rendition of Bob Marley’s “Three Little Birds” received mixed reviews, while Alisson Becker, who impressed his teammates with an acoustic guitar performance, emerged as the standout entertainer of the night.

Similar bonding activities and experiences are expected to take place when Liverpool embarks on their pre-season tour to Germany, where they will settle in the Black Forest region before engaging in friendlies against Greuther Furth and Karlsruhe. The official start of pre-season training at the AXA Centre is scheduled for July 8, and Klopp envisions new signings reporting early and joining the team on the flight to his native Germany.

While Klopp acknowledged the potential embarrassment that comes with performing on stage during such initiation events, he praised the respectful and enjoyable atmosphere that fosters team spirit. These activities serve as both a means of relaxation after intense training sessions and an opportunity to cultivate camaraderie, which proves vital during long and challenging campaigns.

Klopp emphasized, “We as a group, the way we interact really with each other, is something special, and we have to make sure we can use that for something big.”