‘Were going’ - Jurgen Klopp drops Aurelien Tchouameni hint in latest Liverpool transfer update

Jurgen Klopp has suggested that Liverpool missed out on a midfield target earlier this summer.

The Reds are now actively seeking to strengthen their options in the engine room before the transfer window closes at 23.00 BST tomorrow.

Klopp has previously been steadfast Liverpool did not need another addition in the middle of the park.

But following injuries to Thiago Alcantara, Naby Keita, Curtis Jones and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, the Anfield boss admitted last week that he’d changed tack - although it has to be the right player for the long term.

The Reds were previously keen on Aurelien Tchouameni - but realised that he was set to join Real Madrid from Monaco.

And speaking ahead of Liverpool’s clash against Newcastle United tonight, Klopp confessed that an unnamed midfielder he wanted opted to join another club.

What’s been said

Klopp said: “Look, the situations are the following, we start the season with nine midfielders? I would say nine. And every aspect was everything in, like creativity, speed, excitement because young, stuff like this, technique, fight, runners, whatever you want, it’s all in.

“They all have contracts and then you start a pre-season, or these kind of things. When a player [with] one-year contract, whatever, two-year contract comes and then [says]: ‘I didn’t play often enough last year. Then I want to go’. Then in that moment, he go.

“But the one thing that we push people actively out and tell them: ‘You are cut out now. Yes, it was great what you did until last year but now we don’t like you anymore, go’ and these kind of things. We are not like this, we are not like this.

“So it means we had all different aspects of a midfield game. You all told me or whoever, you are the ones who ask questions obviously then: ‘Do you need another midfielder?’ A 10th midfielder?

“Sure, but we were going for a midfielder but a midfielder decided to go to another club, so that can happen. So in that moment it’s now not just like this: ‘Oh we don’t take him, then let’s see if we can take the other one’.

“Some players are in this moment not available but for us really interesting, so that’s how it is. And now we can make their decision – we bring somebody in where you think: ‘Is it the right one?’ I’m not 100% sure - short term probably yes, long term I’m not 100% sure and what would that mean for the next transfer and all these kind of things, what are all going through the mind. That’s how our life is.”