Two £100m players Jurgen Klopp missed out on – but boss said Liverpool were ‘lucky

Jurgen Klopp has often missed out on his top targets as manager of Liverpool, but the German also thinks his side have managed to dodge a few bullets in his time

Jurgen Klopp has addressed his recent playful remarks regarding Liverpool’s interest in Chelsea duo Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia. Despite initially eyeing a move for one or both of the £170 million-rated players, Klopp ultimately refrained from signing either. Caicedo has faced challenges adjusting since his high-profile transfer from Brighton and Hove Albion, while injuries have limited Lavia to just one appearance for Chelsea. Klopp’s recent comment to fans about Liverpool being “lucky” not to acquire them was intended humorously.

Yet, with upcoming clashes against Chelsea in both the Premier League and the League Cup final, Klopp made a point to clarify his remarks, ensuring he did not intend any disrespect towards the costly duo. Additionally, he confirmed Liverpool’s initial interest in signing Jude Bellingham before the midfielder’s £100 million transfer from Real Madrid.

During a recent press conference, Klopp stated, “We were interested in Bellingham, but we soon realized it wasn’t feasible. The market for No6s inflated, especially after two No6s departed from our club.”

The market was highly competitive. We considered the possibility of signing Caicedo, especially after our previous success with Mac Allister. However, Caicedo already had an emotional agreement with Chelsea and Pochettino. Similarly, Lavia had his own motivations for joining elsewhere.

We explored various options and eventually found our preferred solution. When I mentioned being “lucky,” it was because we secured Wataru. We also had Stefan Bajcetic in mind, although his injury hindered his availability. Additionally, Mac Allister and Endo were considered for the position. Furthermore, Liverpool secured the signing of Dominik Szoboszlai from RB Leipzig.

Klopp pointed out that if Liverpool had successfully secured Caicedo or Bellingham for £100 million each, it would have impacted their ability to make other summer signings. He explained that if one of these high-value targets had been acquired, it would have limited their options for additional signings.

“That’s how it went. That’s what I meant when I said we are so lucky. Everything in the ‘if not’ scenario worked out.”