Jurgen Klopp has scared people by trying to sign ‘world class’ player Real Madrid want

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Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has surprised the world of football with his interest in Bayern Munich’s Jamal Musiala.

The Reds have been linked with a move for Musiala over the past couple of weeks. Given his Owen Hargreaves-appointed status as a ‘world class’ talent [TNT Sports], this appears to have upset the applecart a little.

That’s according to German journalist Christian Falk, anyway. Speaking to BILD as translated by Sport Witness yesterday, Falk claimed that Liverpool’s interest in Musiala has ‘frightened’ the likes of Real Madrid and Manchester City.

“We reported exclusively last week that Musiala is a desired object of Jurgen Klopp, who absolutely wants to bring him to Liverpool,” says the journalist.

“In doing so he has frightened the competition. Yes, now Manchester City want to intensify their effort. We’ve heard they are very, very interested.

“Everyone knows that they can lure Musiala to their club and Liverpool will now have Manchester City at the table, while Real Madrid are very interested as well. Bayern are doing everything they can to keep Musiala in Munich.

“He cost them €200,000 and is now worth €110m [£96m]. That’s what a player like that would cost if you want him, but that isn’t that much anymore.”

Liverpool kick off Musiala race

We’re not sure about Falk’s claim that £96m ‘isn’t that much anymore.’ From a Liverpool point of view, it very much definitely is. But the key point here may be that for City and Real, it perhaps isn’t.

Both sides have spent that in the past to bring in key targets. And seeing as Musiala is genuinely a special talent, you could see them doing so again.

In that respect – in the same way as it was with Jude Bellingham this summer – Liverpool should see have seen that coming.

In Bellingham’s case, the Reds thought they could persuade him with a pitch of being the club’s main man for the next decade or so. If they really want Musiala, it’s important that they employ the same tactics.

As Bellingham’s eventual decision showed though, it’s not easy to compete with the history and status of Real. City with all their money and trophy-winning capabilities are a different story, but no less difficult to battle.

If Liverpool really want Musiala then they shouldn’t give up. But it seems things have just got a whole lot trickier.