Jurgen Klopp drops Leeds United a transfer hint amid ‘pursuit’ of £10m Liverpool defender

Jurgen Klopp has suggested that he does not see any more outgoings at Liverpool this summer - hinting that Nat Phillips could be staying put once again.

The centre-back was on the periphery of things at the Reds last season, making a total of just five appearances. Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Joel Matip and Joe Gomez were all ahead in the pecking order.

Phillips spent the second half of the 2021-22 campaign on loan at AFC Bournemouth where he helped the club to promotion from the Championship. The former Bolton defender has previously spoken of his need to play regularly.

Leeds United have been linked with Phillips following their relegation from the Premier League, with a £10 million price tag suggested. Indeed, manager Daniel Farke has admitted he would like to bolster his options in the centre of defence.

It has been an unpredictable summer transfer window for Liverpool so far. The departures of Jordan Henderson and Fabinho to Saudi Arabian sides Al-Ettifaq and Al-Ittihad respectively came as a bolt from a blue - as did the Reds' decision to sign 30-year-old midfielder Wataru Endo from Stuttgart.

Speaking ahead of Liverpool's 3-1 win over Bournemouth, Klopp admitted there still could be more new faces still to arrive before the transfer window closes. But he does not envisage any movement when it comes to players leaving Anfield.

Klopp told reporters: “The window is open and until then pretty much everything can happen. On the outgoing side, from my side, nothing will happen but I learned in this window a lot of things so we will see that. Incomings, there is still time, so let's have a look and that's what we will do.”

Speaking earlier this summer, Farke said via Leeds Live: “It’s always about what wishes and what is realistic to do. So I think we have to have to say 100% we need many, many positions. We can’t rely, if you want to be ambitious club, on just Ethan Ampadu in the centre of the park and if he’s not ready then perhaps on an 18-year-old guy in the number eight position, or a 17-year-old guy. It’s not possible and also not healthy for the development so they need players who they can lean on, where they can learn. I’m pretty pleased with the development of our young players.

“We definitely need additions also at the centre back position. It will be a long season I know the Championship is the toughest league in the world and at the moment we just have three centre halves so we need to do a little bit, we also a bit thin after the long term injury of the full-back positions.”