Liverpool great Graeme Souness has insisted that the club have little chance of winning the Premier League or Champions League this season, even if they keep hold of prized asset Philippe Coutinho.
The Reds reportedly face a battle to keep the Brazil international in place at Anfield due to strong interest from Barcelona, who have money to spend following Neymar's switch to Paris Saint-Germain last week.
Souness expects Coutinho to move on in the remaining weeks of the window, while also claiming that Liverpool simply do not have enough top-quality options to seriously challenge for major honours.
"I think Klopp needs to make sure Liverpool challenge for the Premier League next season," he told Sky Sports News. "I think that - alongside a run into the latter stages of the Champions League and one of the domestic cups - would be a good season for him.
"But I can't see them winning the Champions League or the Premier League, with or without Coutinho. I don't think [Klopp] has made enough signings to challenge in the big two competitions next season.
"And if they lose Philippe Coutinho, they'll get an enormous figure for him, but at this point of the window, they'll probably end up spending a lot of money on someone they are not sure about to replace him.
"They have to fight to try and keep the player but ultimately the player will decide and for a Latin-American player, Barcelona will always be the place to go."
Liverpool, who finished fourth in the Premier League last season, begin their new campaign with a trip to take on Watford at Vicarage Road on Saturday lunchtime.
Daniel Lewis
