Jurgen Klopp Not Interested in Rocking Liverpool Boat By Signing Gareth Bale
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has explained why the Reds are not looking to sign available Real Madrid winger Gareth Bale this summer, insisting that he and the club are looking to build a team for the long-term rather than chase superstar individuals.
Bale is widely expected to leave Real in the coming weeks after six successful years in the Spanish capital following what was then a world record €100m move transfer from Tottenham in 2013.
Zinedine Zidane has declared that Real are working on a transfer, while agent Jonathan Barnett, despite labelling the coach a 'disgrace' for his comments, has confirmed it won't be a loan.
While a club in the Chinese Super League is expected to eventually land Bale - Jiangsu Suning and Beijing Guoan have been most heavily linked - there has also been some predictable speculation that he could leave Real for another top European club.
Manchester United, Liverpool, Tottenham, Inter and Chelsea - transfer ban aside - have all been mentioned at one time or another, but Klopp has explicitly ruled Liverpool out.
"Bale is a Real Madrid player and if he leaves it will be outstandingly expensive and big wages," the Reds boss is quoted as saying by Sky Sports.
"He is an outstanding player, I like him a lot but it is not about him. You have to create a team. A team is not a collection of the best individual players, they have to work together.
"Liverpool is a long-term project. The team is really good. Will there be difficult situations? Probably. There would be if we bring in a new player, or two or three. I didn't say we won't do anything, it is going to be a big window for sure but people don't think about the people who are already in.
"Sometimes you have to calm the situation down, pay your bills, have a normal life and live in the house before you build a new one."
It is a reiteration of what Klopp has said all along about this transfer window, that Liverpool are aiming to tweak rather than seek multiple big deals after spending heavily in recent windows to complete the team that ultimately won the Champions League last season.
So far this summer, 17-year-old Dutch talent Sepp van den Berg is the only arrival at Anfield.
Klopp spoke earlier this week about potentially bringing in one more signing if the opportunity presents itself. Second choice right back Nathaniel Clyne has suffered a long-term knee injury since then, however, perhaps adding greater need for an extra body.
