Jurgen Klopp sends blunt Liverpool ‘overpriced’ transfer message to Chelsea and Brighton

Jurgen Klopp is adamant Liverpool will not be held to ransom for midfielders in the transfer window - and is confident fresh recruits will arrive.

The Reds will bolster their engine room this summer with James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain all set to depart - as well as more quality required amid an underwhelming 2022-23 season.

Liverpool have already walked away from their pursuit of Jude Bellingham because of his price tag of more than £100 million. The Reds require at least two engine-room operators, with Brighton’s Alexis Mac Allister, Chelsea’s Mason Mount and Bayern Munich’s Ryan Gravenberch all on the shopping list among others.

Given Klopp’s need to bring in fresh midfielders, there is a risk that selling clubs will inflate their asking price. But the German insists that the Reds will not overpay on their valuation - and is confident recruits will arrive.

Asked if he’s conscious of clubs putting a premium on transfer targets, Klopp replied to reporters: “We cannot buy the player then - if they’re overpriced then we cannot do it

“We will bring in players. I’m pretty sure we will bring in the players we want and the players that will help us. I’m pretty confident. You never know 100% until they’re sign but that’s not new to us. Some clubs might try that but you identify a position and you don’t have only one option in the position. They should all be good, to be honest.

“Of course, you might have a favourite but if the other club then doesn’t want to sell or the other club can pay the price then we cannot go with that. But it’s not - usually we have got the players we wanted. One thing is do we want them and then can we afford them? That is how it is. I don’t think too much about that.”