Jurgen Klopp Says Liverpool Are Ready to Match Rivals' Spending This Summer

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has said his club is ready to match rivals' spending in the transfer market this summer in an effort to not lose pace.

The Reds beat Tottenham Hotspur to be crowned UEFA Champions League winners earlier in June after finishing a slim second to Manchester City in the Premier League title race.

Klopp spoke to ZDF and suggested Liverpool will match their peers (h/t MailOnline's David Wood): "Liverpool is an ambitious club, and if we didn't spend the same amount of money as others, we wouldn't be able to compete. Everybody's splashing the cash, so we have to do the same."

The Merseysiders spent around £160 million on four players in the summer of 2018 but brought in a little more than £30 million through player sales.

BBC Sport's David Ornstein appeared on 5 Live Sport in May and said that while Liverpool's plan was to keep improving this summer, spending wouldn't be as heavy (h/t Anfield HQ):

City have already reportedly lined up new recruits in a bid to stay at the top. They're interested in Atletico Madrid midfielder Rodri and are closing in on Juventus right-back Joao Cancelo, per the Telegraph's JJ Bull.

The Reds have been largely successful with their signings in recent years. Virgil van Dijk was made the world's most expensive defender when he joined from Southampton for £75 million in January 2018, while goalkeeper Alisson was also a record signing in his position at the time of his arrival. Each has looked worth the cost.

That doesn't mean Liverpool have shut themselves off from more modest targets, such as left-back Andrew Robertson or Xherdan Shaqiri, who cost a combined £21.5 million.

Sports writer Simon Bajkowski recognised the Reds's previous spending as helping to bring them to City's level:

Klopp has taken his team to successive Champions League finals and succeeded at the second time of asking. Their gradual improvement in the past couple of campaigns suggests City will encounter an even more difficult challenge next time around.

However, football writer Sam McGuire recently said spending constraints mean Liverpool won't be conducting major business without sales first:

Klopp, 52, arrived at Anfield in October 2015 and is reaping the benefits of the blueprint he put into place. Club owner Fenway Sports Group is also willing to spend big in order to tie down his services, per the Daily Mail's Dominic King (h/t Anfield HQ):

Liverpool have yet to make a signing this summer, but perhaps City's increasing activity could tempt the European champions into the market.