City raised the bar last season, so why should Liverpool not spend?

LONDON: Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola said he is unsurprised that Liverpool have spent heavily in the transfer window after his side raised the bar in the Premier League last season.

Juergen Klopp’s Liverpool have used the funds raised from selling Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona in January to launch a spending spree that included paying a world record fee for a goalkeeper to sign Brazil’s Alisson last week.

The have also added Naby Keita and Fabinho to the midfield and boosted their attacking options with the signing of Swiss winger Xherdan Shaqiri.

Guardiola, who has also spent vast sums on his team since joining City in 2016 and won the league last season with a record 100 points, did not criticise Klopp’s approach ahead of a friendly between the two clubs in New York.

“Every club, do what they believe, and I understand it,” he told a news conference on Tuesday.

“When Liverpool believe they need to spend on these players, it’s because they believe it’s for the best for them ...

“Last season we increased the levels of the Premier League: 100 points. The level is here, now we try to take the level, every team tries to do better and better.”

City’s record-breaking points tally was 19 more than second-placed Manchester United and 25 more than Liverpool, who finished fourth. City’s rivals have strengthened their squads in the close season, but Guardiola is satisfied with his group of players after signing forward Riyad Mahrez from Leicester City for a club-record fee.

“We are going to decide but at this moment, we are good enough,” the Spaniard added.

“We have players in each position. We will see in the last days whether we will sign one player or wait.”

Guardiola’s side will kick off their league campaign against Arsenal on August 12.

Meanwhile, Southampton midfielder Jordy Clasie will join Dutch side Feyenoord on a season-long loan deal.

The 27-year-old Dutch international returns to Feyenoord, where he made 155 appearances over four years, before arriving at St Mary’s in 2015. Last season, Clasie was away on loan at Club Brugge and helped them win the Belgian first division title.

Clasie has made 49 appearances for Southampton but manager Mark Hughes has opted against bringing him back into his first-team plans ahead of the new season. – Reuters