Klopp hopes Euro progress yields better transfer buys

LONDON: Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp voiced hope that guiding his team back into the Champions League will strengthen his hand in transfer talks over the last week of the trading window.

Liverpool secured a place in the group stage for only the second time since 2010 after a 42 home win over Hoffenheim onWednesday completed a 63 aggregate victory in the playoff round.

Klopp has only managed to bring in Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson and Dominic Solanke in the transfer window so far and he suggested that number might increase now Liverpool are back among the elite.

“It’s a big influence on the transfer market, especially if you do it more often,” said Klopp.

“If you talk to a player, especially the players we talk to – because we don’t talk to players that are not better than our players – they say, ‘If you played in the Champions League, it would be really interesting because the club is great, the manager’s not too bad’ – all this stuff.

“Or even when you try to extend a contract with a player in the squad. They say, ‘ Yeah, I want to play Champions League.’

“But I always tell players it’s your job to do it with us together! Don’t ask for us to do the job so you can play Champions League. Do it with us together.’

“And that’s what this team did. That’s why I’m so happy about it. Fourteen months’ of hard work. And we did it. Nice.”

Appointed in October 2015, Klopp was unable to steer Liverpool into the Champions League in his first season as they finished eighth in the English Premier League, but a fourthplace finish last term opened the door to a return.

They will discover their groupstage opponents in the draw in Monaco and Klopp could not contain his excitement at the thought of the Champions League music booming out over Anfield again.

“It’s so exciting to be part of it,” said the German, who led former club Borussia Dortmund to the competition final in 2013.

“For me personally, it’s two or three years ago (since his last involvement). I loved it always.

“I still love it, the players love it, the crowd loves it. We will have a few fantastic European nights at Anfield. So all good in the moment and nothing to moan about.”

Klopp added he had “nothing to say” about Philippe Coutinho, who continues to be courted by Barcelona and was absent against Hoffenheim due to illness and a back problem. Liverpool insist he will not be sold.