Jurgen Klopp has ruled Liverpool out as potential suitors for Erling Haaland’s signature in the summer due the ‘crazy’ costs attached.
The Norwegian international’s reported release clause of roughly £64m is likely to entice vast swathes of Europe’s elite into pitching inquiries over the striker’s future.
“We won’t be going there,” the German told SportBild (via Goal).
“The numbers involved are just crazy – we’ll be having nothing to do with it. No chance!
“To be honest, I don’t want anything to do with it. It’s not fun.”
The Merseysiders are said to remain interested in further attacking additions in the summer market, though the price-tag (despite the cut-price nature of the reduced fee) and wage demands are far from representing what owners, FSG, are generally prepared to sanction.
READ MORE: (Video) Liverpool fans will drool over glorious Naby Keita highlights from Benfica win
There are exceptions, of course, where the finances can justify it (a la Philippe Coutinho’s sale, for instance) and the need is pressing.
Though a purchase closer to the £40m mark, or below, of the likes favoured for recent acquisitions in Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz tend to be the priority.
Given how well both purchases have acclimatised to life at Anfield, the recruitment team are hardly lacking in justifications for their specific approach taken in the transfer window and we’d expect to see much more of the same come the summer.
#Ep42 of The Empire of the Kop Podcast: Is Jota underappreciated? FA failing fans… and more!