It's an issue that has intrigued many since his arrival at Anfield, but Jurgen Klopp claims he has made no agreement preventing him from raiding former club Borussia Dortmund in the transfer window.
The German's first forays into the marketplace will come in January, and with Liverpool having been linked with several Dortmund players prior to Klopp's appointment - SIGN REUS! - it's no surprise that speculation surrounding the two clubs has intensified further.
Defenders Neven Subotic and Mats Hummels and midfielder Ilkay Gundogan (pictured below) have all been mentioned as potential Klopp targets, and although the 48-year-old played down the prospect of a host of new additions, he did reveal that reports he had agreed to stay away from his former players were wide of the mark.
“I have no agreement with Borussia Dortmund,” said the Liverpool manager. “I heard about an agreement, but no. Yet in my opinion it only makes sense to go for players we think we can get.
“So if we want to battle down the road (Manchester City)... we can pay 100 (million), they can pay 120. It’s a crazy marketplace when you start doing this.
“There are so many mothers in the world that have brilliant sons, so you don’t always have to take the guys that everybody knows.
“Maybe you take one. But I have a good relationship still with Borussia Dortmund and with all the players. There is nothing between us and if there was a possibility that we could get one of those players AND we needed him, then we could try it.
“But there is no agreement, of course not. And there is no agreement that we can’t sell players to Borussia Dortmund!”
Speaking about possible January moves, Klopp told the
Liverpool Echo that he was more likely to wait until the summer before launching any major recruitment drive.
"I'm sure we could (do something)," he said. "The only answer I can give is we won't do anything only because it's possible.
“We only want to do something if we feel it is necessary or there is an opportunity where we cannot say no, or our situation changes in a way where we have to take players in.
“We talk about next summer, that's absolutely normal. But I don't feel at this moment it would help if we take five players."
