Jurgen Klopp gives direct response to talks with John Henry and responds to Liverpool social media criticism
Liverpool owner John W. Henry and manager Jurgen Klopp. (Image: Photo by Alexander Hassenstein – UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)
Jurgen Klopp declined to explain the nature of his meeting with main owner John W. Henry this week but admitted he “needs the right players” to get Liverpool back on track this summer.
Fenway Sports Group boss Henry was at the London Stadium to oversee the Reds’ 2-1 win over West Ham United on Wednesday as the American sat next to CEO Billy Hogan.
Klopp confirmed after the match in the capital that he had spoken to Henry at the team hotel on Tuesday evening and said: “We have already spoken. I knew he would come.
Asked what the conversation with the club owners was about, Klopp coyly dodged the question during his press conference on Friday, but explained how his midfield makeover will take shape alongside some of the youngsters. players in his engine room department such as 22-year-old Curtis Jones.
Harvey Elliott (20) and Stefan Bajcetic (18). “I said that before, yes. I had [a meeting],” Klopp repeated.
“We spoke the day before the match. JK and JWH met. It was good yes. Do not mention it. Any ideas to provide? Not sure if a drug has been invented yet for me to do this
READ MORE: Klopp rules out two Liverpool players for Spurs and ‘bad bang’ for Diogo Jota
Liverpool continued to be linked with a string of midfielders this summer, having decided to drop their hunt for £130m Jude Bellingham at Borussia Dortmund.
Chelsea duo Conor Gallagher and Mason Mount remain interested along with Brighton’s Moises Caicedo and Alexis Mac Allister. Fulham’s Joao Palhinha and Wolves’ Matheus Nunes are also two others under consideration, along with Bayern Munich’s Ryan Gravenberch, as a midfield overhaul remains the plan at Anfield for the next transfer window. Klopp has refused to shirk the need to recruit significantly for his midfield ranks next summer but believes there is already plenty of quality and potential at his disposal as he responds to criticism on the social networks of both his team and his selection team for certain Games.
He added: “It’s good that in case we make the decisions (regarding the squad and recruitment), we don’t let the people who write in the social media comments make the decisions because that’s the only we hear.
“If you go on social media and look there, you’re like, ‘Oh my God! There’s no bigger problem in the world than our midfielder! I get that 100 per cent.
“Someone showed me something on Instagram after the last game we played where and what people are writing about our roster and few of them wanted Curtis Jones on the pitch or Cody Gakpo on the pitch and when they were Joel Matip saw games they say they’ll watch the other game and they’re generally people who love us!
“I understand this season is making people nervous, I understand that. We weren’t ourselves for a lot of the season, but we still have to make good decisions and not panic where we’re like, ‘ That’s it for him! will never come back to play football for us again.
It’s not like that. That’s why I said whatever we do over the summer isn’t going to be enough for these people in the first place, so that’s the job and we have to make decisions that we know and based on the things we know. That’s exactly what we’re going to do.
Jurgen Klopp admits ‘big transfers’ as Liverpool’s ‘crazy’ situation explains
Jurgen Klopp spoke at his Liverpool press conference ahead of Tottenham Hotspur clash
Jurgen Klopp during his press conference in Liverpool
Jurgen Klopp during his press conference in Liverpool
Jurgen Klopp has shared his delight that Curtis Jones has worked his way into Liverpool’s starting XI after being sidelined for most of his season through injury.
The England Under-21 international has started the Reds’ last five games and has been one of their most impressive performers during such a run, which has seen them unbeaten as Klopp’s side continue to adapt to his new “inverted rear”. Training
Jones had started just one Premier League game this season before his final run with the team, with injuries limiting him to 17 appearances in all competitions this season. As a result, the 22-year-old had been written off in some sectors ahead of this summer’s much-needed midfield revamp.
But Klopp is happy to see the midfielder show his qualities on the pitch as he explains how difficult a season Jones has been through behind the scenes.
Now to have five games in a row is absolutely incredible,” the German told reporters. “It didn’t look like this kind of thing was going to be possible for long into the season because he’s had an injury irregular.
“We had to be very careful with him. Super, super, super careful with him. Even when he was training again, he wasn’t allowed to train normally. When he returned to the team, we were still involved in European football, so that meant we weren’t training well.
“That makes it very difficult for returning players to catch up. It was really, really hard to organise. “There was a moment when he was able to train normally again.
It was immediately clear that the sessions he did during our sessions were really good physically, because he seemed ready quite quickly.”