Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp refused to be drawn into discussions about whether he wants to sign Mario Gotze this summer, but was happy to praise the playmaker for his performance for the national team last night.
Mario Gotze bagged in Germany’s 4-1 victory against Italy, and put in an especially good showing.
Liverpool have been heavily linked to Gotze, with reputable sources such as Sky Sports and the Guardian claiming a summer deal for the Bayern Munich man is very much a possibility.
Klopp though was keen to be respectful of the player’s current club, but by no means does this suggests a move isn’t on the cards. In fact, if a move wasn’t being lined up – he’d have simply said – as he did with Alex Pato in January (via Daily Mail).
“We can talk about [Joel] Matip or something else, but not Mario [Gotze],” Klopp told reporters, via Ruhr Nachrichten.
“I am happy that he put in a good performance yesterday. But there is nothing to add from my side,” Klopp continued. “He’s a player with extraordinary abilities and wants to return to full fitness after four months on the sidelines.”
Before the Matip and Marko Grujic deals were officially announced, Klopp simply refused to discuss them, so we imagine this will be his sensible tactic regarding possible transfers going forward.
What is clear though is that our manager rates Gotze extremely highly. At Dortmund, Gotze played a key role in Klopp’s two Bundesliga triumphs, and the boss described ‘heartbreak’ and a ‘funeral atmosphere’ when the attacker eventually left for Bayern (via the Echo).
This one’s going to run on and on, and on.