Jurgen Klopp insists Liverpool have to ‘work with’ what the club ‘can do’ amid reports the Reds have withdrawn their interest in signing Jude Bellingham this summer.
Liverpool are understood to have cooled their interest in signing the midfielder from Borussia Dortmund, with the financial package deemed too expensive given the extent of the rebuild required at Anfield.
Klopp is keen to bring in multiple additions in midfield this summer and mass changes are expected following a disappointing Premier League season. Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are set to leave on free transfers, while James Milner could also depart when his contract expires.
Liverpool have long been linked with a move to sign Bellingham, but are now reportedly set to move on to alternatives with Manchester City and Real Madrid remaining in contention to sign the England international.
Speaking at his pre-match press conference ahead of Liverpool’s trip to face Leeds on Monday, Klopp responded to questions on whether the Reds have pulled out of the race to sign Bellingham.
“I have nothing to say on that. It is not about Jude Bellingham, but I never understand why we talk about things we cannot have, theoretically. We cannot have six players in a summer, everyone for £100m. That is clear.
“You have to realise what you can do and then work with it. That is your job. We are not children; when you ask a five-year-old what they want for Christmas and they say, I don’t know, a Ferrari, you would say that is too expensive and you cannot drive it, If this kid then was really unhappy because he didn’t get a Ferrari, it would be a really sad life.
“You look what you can do, and you work with that. We try everything to get what we need and what we want; but there are moments where we have to accept and step aside.”
