Transfer Centre

Jurgen Klopp: 'Champions League qualification a huge transfer boost'

By Daniel Lewis, Senior Reporter | 24 August 2017

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp admits that playing in the Champions League is a "big influence" when it comes to persuading players to join the club.

Jurgen Klopp has suggested that qualifying for the Champions League group stage will help Liverpool attract more players to the club over the next week, while also tempting Philippe Coutinho to stay at Anfield.

The Reds eased past Hoffenheim 6-3 on aggregate in their playoff tie to earn a spot in Thursday evening's draw - just the second time they have reached this stage in eight years.

Klopp has been left largely frustrated in his attempt to bring in new faces this summer, with Mohamed Salah, Dominic Solanke and Andrew Robertson the only three to sign so far, but the German is hopeful that it will now be easier to persuade others to join.

"[Champions League qualification] is a big influence on the transfer market, especially if we do it more often," he told reporters. "I said I think before the game, if you talk to a player, they really often [mention it]... especially players we talk to. We don't have to talk to players which are not better than our players because it's difficult to find.

"I know a few people think differently, but we do a lot of work and it's not that easy to find 20 players in this position that are better, 20 players in that position that are better. But if you talk to them, they say if you would play in the Champions League, it would be really interesting because the club is great, the manager is not too bad and all that stuff.

"Or even if you try to extend a contract with a player in the squad, [they might say], 'Yeah, I want to play Champions League' and I always think 'It's your job to do it with us together, so don't ask that we do a job and you cannot play Champions League - do it with us together.' That's what this team did, and that's why I am so happy about it - 14 months' hard work and we did it. Nice!"

Liverpool have been heavily linked with Virgil van Dijk and Naby Keita in recent months, while Coutinho is at the top of Barcelona's transfer wishlist.