Liverpool will not be influenced by their Premier League rivals’ moves in the transfer market and will stick to their own signing plans, manager Juergen Klopp has said.
Klopp’s side have added winger Mohamed Salah and England under-20 striker Dominic Solanke so far, but their spending has been put in the shade by local rivals Everton, who have splashed out more than 100 million pounds.
Manchester United and City, as well as Arsenal, have also spent heavily, but Klopp has urged his team’s supporters not to get caught up in what the opposition are doing.
“We cannot buy players because other teams buy players,” said Klopp after his team’s 4-0 win over Tranmere Rovers in a pre-season friendly on Wednesday.
“We do our business as good as we can do it and we are convinced about the way we are going.”
Egypt international Salah needs to finalise work permit issues before he can play but Solanke made his debut in the friendly and Klopp was full of praise for the under-20 World Cup winner.
“He is a really skilled boy. He has to improve of course but a lot of things are already really good: first touch, movement,” Klopp said.
“It is about him and the situation but I will not avoid his development. In the moment when he is strong enough he is there.
“He will train with us, of course, as often as it makes sense and often as possible and then we will see.”
Liverpool face third-tier Wigan Athletic in their next friendly on Friday before travelling to Hong Kong to play Crystal Palace in the Premier League Asia Trophy on July 19.