Jurgen Klopp sends firm transfer message to Liverpool stars over lack of Champions League football
By Tom Gott
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has joked that he would personally drive any of his players to their new clubs if they chose to leave over the Reds' lack of Champions League football next season.
Despite an outstanding recent run of form, Liverpool failed to climb their way back into the top four and will instead have to settle for the Europa League qualification that comes with finishing fifth.
Star forward Mohamed Salah admitted he was 'totally devastated' to miss out on Europe's premier competition - issuing a social media apology which, bizarrely, has been interpreted by some as a desire to leave Anfield.
Asked about Salah's feelings, Klopp laughed off the suggestions that the Egyptian might want to leave Liverpool this summer but made it clear that anybody frustrated by the lack of Champions League football will be happily allowed to leave.
"Mo loves being here," he said. "He was part of the apologies for what we did, not apologies for what the other guys did. No, it is all fine.
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"If ever a player comes to me and says: 'We didn’t qualify for the Champions League, now I have to leave' then I would drive him to the other club. I’d take the key and ask: 'Where do you want to go? I will drive you'. That would be something I would never understand.
"I would never say: 'I need to work in the Champions League so now I go'. I am responsible for this 'mess' or whatever. You cannot go in these moments.
"Nobody has asked me [about leaving]. They asked me if they could have a day longer holiday or whatever, but nobody asked me if after their holiday they have to come back. That’s not been in our conversations."
Klopp went on to insist that Liverpool's failure to reach the Champions League will not impact their transfer plans this summer.
"I don't think so but we will see," he explained. "That is obviously possible, it's always possible things don't go as quick as you want. It's not only possible, it is probably likely.
"The better the players you want the lesser is the desire of the other club to let him go and that's exactly what we are prepared for. But it's a long window and a long pre-season and a long break in-between so we have time. If we get in players tomorrow or in six or seven weeks it is not a game-changer for me to be honest. In an ideal world they all sign tomorrow and I can tell them when to be here and we can start giving them the plans for the summer break but that will not likely happen."
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