Klopp defends Alisson’s fee

Jurgen Klopp has defended the £67million signing of Alisson – and believes that the particularities of the goalkeeping market are ‘different’ to other positions following criticism over supposed hypocrisy.

The Anfield club splashed out a world-record sum for a goalkeeper in bringing the Brazilian to Anfield from Roma after making Virgil van Dijk the most expensive defender of all-time in January.

Klopp had previously gone on record criticising other clubs for their spending, most notably Manchester United when they signed Paul Pogba.

Image result for klopp and AlissonBut the German feels Alisson’s availability presented Liverpool with an opportunity they simply couldn’t turn down.

‘Everybody thinks it’s a lot of money. It is a lot of money,’ he told ESPN FC. ‘But he could’ve left for crazy money.

‘The clause for Oblak for example is €100m (£90m), so nice! And that’s it in this year where obviously a few things happen on the goalkeeper position.

‘That’s part of the job, to try to bring the best players you can get. The goalkeeper market is different because it’s not each year that there is anybody available and stuff like that.’

Image result for klopp and Alisson

Liverpool had been expected to keep faith with Loris Karius despite the ex-Mainz keeper’s costly errors in the Champions League final.

And although Alisson’s arrival almost certainly means Karius will now be confined to to the substitutes’ bench, Klopp has insisted he still has full faith in the 25-year-old and fellow stopper Simon Mignolet.

‘We are really fine with our goalkeepers,’ he added. ‘So there’s no doubts Simon Mignolet – big quality, absolutely Premier League highest-level quality, Loris Karius as well.

‘Yes, we all know what happened in the [Champions League] final, but we know as well why it’s not about that.

‘It’s not the reason. We really wanted to bring in a player which we didn’t have before to be honest and that’s what happened with Alisson.’

Image result for klopp and Alisson

Alisson’s signing has also been supplemented by the additions of Naby Keita, Fabinho and Xherdan Shaqiri this summer as the Reds look to mount a sustained title challenge next season.

And Klopp accepts that there is now more pressure than before on his side to deliver silverware following the hefty spending spree.

‘Any trophy is good. Whatever you can get after a final, take it. After the season, take it. That’s 100 percent like this,’ he said.

‘I don’t think it’s a big difference. Only that now people maybe from [last season], they believe a little bit more, but it doesn’t change the situation.

‘Yes our job is to improve the team every year, to improve the football every year and if you do that then the chances become bigger.’

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