Jurgen Klopp having more transfer power gives Liverpool fans 3 concerns

Liverpool fans may have reason to be fearful with Jurgen Klopp set to gain more power over the club’s transfer business. Sporting director Julian Ward will step down at the end of the season, just 12 months after taking over from Michael Edwards. The Reds manager is ready to take on even more responsibilities in the market after having a stronger hand in the club’s dealings over the past year.

Liverpool’s approach to the transfer market has been largely data driven in recent years and has been a major factor behind the club’s success in recent years. However, if the club decides to go with what Klopp wants beyond what the statistics show, the team’s performances on the pitch could suffer.

Here express sport looks at three mistakes Klopp made in the transfer market as we look at the problems the club could experience in the future.

Julian Brandt on Mohamed Salah

When Liverpool were looking to increase their attacking options in 2017, Klopp was keen to prioritize then-Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Julian Brandt over the signing of Mo Salah. The German is believed to have turned the club down because he did not want to appear on the right wing, and Klopp and the club turned their attention to the Egyptian.

Brandt’s rejection was a clear blessing in disguise with Salah sticking out in his absence. He has become something of a club legend in his five years at the club scoring 170 goals in 275 appearances and being an integral part of the team that won the Champions League in 2019 and the Premier League a year later.

ONLY IN: Man Utd and Liverpool have warned that Jude Bellingham “may cost £200m”

Darwin Nunez

Núñez is no mistake in terms of his ability, with nine goals in 17 appearances so far this season, he has shown that he is a potent attacking force. However, he has yet to fit properly into the Reds’ system with Klopp forced to regularly alter his formation to integrate him.

With recent signings such as Diogo Jota and Luis Díaz perfectly suited to Liverpool’s pressing style, the acquisition of Núñez may be symptomatic of allowing Klopp to recruit based on what he wants rather than what the data says. The Uruguayan impressed the 55-year-old in Benfica’s Champions League matches against Liverpool last season, which may have encouraged him to move for the player.

DO NOT MISS IT

Ben Woodburn

It appeared Klopp wanted to use the Welshman more regularly within the first team last year after he was heavily used in pre-season and earned a place on the bench against Norwich in the first game of the 2021/22 campaign.

However, he moved on loan to Scottish Premiership club Hearts soon after, and it is believed that the management team hoped to keep him in and around the first-team squad. Failing to impress during his spell at Tynecastle and he was sacked by the Reds over the summer and Championship team Preston decided to take him on.