Liverpool’s transfer plans for the summer will not change despite their failure to qualify for the Champions League, according to the Liverpool Echo.
The Reds will not play European football at all next season. They lost 3-1 tonight to Sevilla in the Europa League final, and finished eighth in the Premier League.
SEE MORE: Sevilla 3-1 Liverpool: Reds miss out on Champions League after second-half collapse
Speaking to the Echo prior to their agony in Basel, Jurgen Klopp insisted that their Champions League status for next season would not dictate his transfer targets.
“Since I said what I’d do if I player said to me he would only come if we have Champions League (put the phone down), no player had said it to me!” Klopp told the Echo.
“Hopefully we will never talk about the money around signings.
“Not because it’s not a big number or something but because if we take a player it’s because we believe he fits what we need, not because he’s expensive or he’s cheap.
“Our owners are completely behind that and it’s really cool.
“Nobody has said to me that if we’re not in the Champions League that affects things. If you aren’t in Europe at all then maybe you need less players but that’s not something to think about now.”
The Echo reports that Klopp is hopeful of tying up deals for three players. Bayern Munich’s Mario Gotze is top of his shortlist and Liverpool hope to sign him for £20m.
The Echo adds that the Reds are in advanced negotiations to sign Mainz goalkeeper Lorus Karius for £4.7m, and are also interested in Udinese midfielder Piotr Zielinski.
Klopp’s belief that he can still attain his primary targets without the lure of the Champions League is probably understandable confidence in his pulling power as a manager.
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