Klopp gives detailed answer over midfielder transfer and squad depth

Jürgen Klopp expanded on Liverpool's thinking behind their pursuit of a midfielder in the transfer market as he was hounded with the questions again ahead of the club's match against Newcastle United tomorrow.

Klopp gave a detailed answer to if the search is still ongoing and why Liverpool decided to move so late in the market, with the deadline now just more than 48 hours away.

"Look, the situations are the following, we start the season with nine midfielders? I would say nine. And every aspect was everything in, like creativity, speed, excitement because young, stuff like this, technique, fight, runners, whatever you want, it's all in.

"They all have contracts and then you start a pre-season, or this kind of things. When a player [with] one-year contract, whatever, two-year contract comes and then [says], 'I didn't play often enough last year. Then I want to go.' Then in that moment, he go.

"But the one thing that we push people actively out and tell them, 'You are cut out now. Yes, it was great what you did until last year but now we don't like you anymore, go' and these kind of things. We are not like this, we are not like this.

"So it means we had all different aspects of a midfield game. You all told me or whoever, you are the ones who ask questions obviously then, 'Do you need another midfielder?' A 10th midfielder? Sure, but we were going for a midfielder but a midfielder decided to go to another club, so that can happen.

"So in that moment it's now not just like this, 'Oh we don't take him, then let's see if we can take the other one.' Some players are in this moment not available but for us really interesting, so that's how it is.

"And now we can make their decision – we bring somebody in where you think, 'Is it the right one? I'm not 100 per cent sure; short term probably yes, long term I'm not 100 per cent sure, and what would that mean for the next transfer?' and all these kind of things, what are all going through the mind. That's how our life is.

"We cannot just push the button and say, 'Bring him in and we worry about all the problems it could create next year, later on, all these kind of things.' Yes, and we get injuries and all of a sudden it looks like, 'Oh yes, we need a midfielder, definitely.'

"So, we always wanted, we always wanted but it was always about the right one. And we cannot change that just because of some things – yes, more injuries but that can change a little bit and then you say, 'OK but we can do this now and maybe that would help us then, next year as well', these kind of things.

"It must always be short and long term and this didn't happen yet. That's it."

Source: Liverpoolfc.com