Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp gives verdict on Manchester City potentially completing Erling Haaland transfer
While speaking in his pre-match press conference (h/t Liverpool Echo) ahead of the league game against Aston Villa, Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp admitted that Manchester City possibly completing a move for Erling Haaland will take the transfer market to ‘new levels’.
The Borussia Dortmund striker is very close to completing a move to Man City. Fabrizio Romano even claims that the official announcement could be made this week itself after the player passed his medical tests.
The Norway international has been a force to reckon with in Europe with RB Salzburg and most recently, the Black and Yellow. He would arguably come in at the Etihad with a view to becoming Sergio Aguero’s long-term replacement.
Klopp, a man who is himself a legend at the Signal Iduna Park, claims Pep Guardiola completing a move for the 21-year-old would change the transfer market in new ways when it comes to monetary aspects.
“We play against all the other teams, yes. But if Erling Haaland goes there (City) that will not weaken them. Definitely not. I know in the moment that other people talk about money, but this transfer will set new levels. Let me say this!”
He isn’t wrong. If the figures quoted by Liverpool Echo around the possible deal are to be believed, then City are spending more than a pretty penny to sign the ex-Molde star. It is being claimed that around £250million could be spent on signing Haaland by the time he runs the course of his contract and all due commissions are paid.
That is an eye-opening figure that barely a handful of teams would be able to compete with in the long run. Clubs with uber-rich owners can afford to take monetary hits like this without affecting the financial health of the club over the course of time.
Take, for example, Roman Abramovich’s stint at Chelsea. The Russian billionaire, who put the club for sale earlier this year, was apparently losing $1.1million-a-week, according to figures quoted by Forbes.
Liverpool have a good model under FSG- a sustainable one which can benefit the club in the long run. But if Man City flex their wealth in such a manner, there is only so much coaching and training that Klopp can do with the players at the AXA Training Centre.
It’s not like Liverpool are a poor club but their spending on transfers is far off from the Cityzens. Two weeks back, CIES Football Observatory (h/t Mirror) published a record of football’s top net spenders since the 2012/13 season. Man City were 2nd on that list, while the Reds were 14th.
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If Haaland goes to City, then the Reds would be wise to retaliate in some form. Signing a quality midfielder or a top striker could boost the squad ahead of the new season, but it is hard to see us splashing the kind of cash City are seemingly ready to pay for Haaland.
