Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has stated that Anfield is the perfect place for a young player interested in fulfilling his potential, before adding that those motivated by money should stay away from the Merseyside club.
The rise of the cash-rich Chinese Super League, along with the billionaire-backed financial might of clubs like Manchester City, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain, have changed the financial landscape of football.
As a consequence, an increasing number of players are joining rich clubs for astronomical amounts, with the latest instance being that of Oscar, who moved to China for a reported £60 million this week.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp however, believes that the Reds will never pay such huge sums for players who are motivated by money, while reckoning that the club is instead interested in players who prioritise their careers over the wages that they receive from their clubs.
Speaking to Liverpool Echo, Klopp said: “We believe that if someone needs to be convinced by money then at one point when you really need character you will not get it. I can say we don’t want to convince players with money, we want to convince them with the way we go.
He also added that Anfield is the place to be for players who are looking to get the “best out of their careers”. He continued: “But for all the rest this should be the best place to be. I would say at the moment that LFC is a really good place to be for a player to develop, to get the best out of your career and all that stuff. That is how we live.”
Players like Adam Lallana, Roberto Firmino, Philippe Coutinho and Divock Origi are prime examples of players who might not necessarily be spurred on by the chance to earn the big bucks, and have rather put their careers above everything else. The result of that is apparent for all to see, as the quartet have well and truly flourished under Klopp’s tutelage this season.
Klopp’s influence has seen Liverpool establish themselves as a contender for the Premier League title this season, as they currently sit second in the league table, six points adrift of leaders Chelsea. The Reds next welcome Mark Hughes’ Stoke City at Anfield as they aim to maintain the momentum in the title race.
