Jürgen Klopp is a non-conformist as far as dealing in the transfer market goes as evidenced by his purchases at Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool.
In the crazy world of transfers, it seems as though conforming to the norm of spending big money is difficult to resist. Not, for Klopp however. The German has always operated in an astute bargain-oriented manner.
During his time at Dortmund, the German bought Robert Lewandoski, Mats Hummels and Marco Reus for pennies. Today, those players all go for huge money. This was his biggest success in Germany; achieving domestic and continental success with relative poverty.
Now that he’s at Liverpool, Klopp has continued in his ways, despite paying over the odds for Sadio Mane. Although, that being said, the £36 million signing from Southampton is looking a steal.
“In football, everybody is under such pressure, all they try to do is keep safe,” Klopp told the Daily Mail. “I make this decision, then this decision, and now I am safe for, what, three weeks?
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“I know about pressure but I don’t feel it. I would never make a decision for how it looks outside, to be safe.
“Now everyone wants an £80 million signing, or just the next signing, the latest signing. But I would never buy a player for that – just to do it.
“We have bought enough, and if I am convinced, I am convinced. It’s for the good of the club, not for the good of me. I’m not that important.
“There are big competitors in this league, but we can’t say, ‘If we had this signing we would beat them, and if not, no chance’. What is that? It is not important that one or two clubs have more than us. It is not important who the best player in the world was last year.
“It is important who will be the best next year. As long as we can be in the race, we have a chance. I am not jealous of anybody else. I’ve never been jealous. I love this game because it is a team game. Trust, faith and togetherness.
“If one minute you’re great and the next, ‘Get out’, that’s not honest. And honesty is one of the most important things in life.”