Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp stated that his team is looking to make new signings in the upcoming transfer window, but they will not engage in bidding wars for players at prices he feels are excessive and inflated. Klopp spoke about the need for Liverpool to rebuild the squad, but club owner John Henry indicated in March that "Liverpool will not fall into the trap of spending beyond their means in pursuit of success."
Last month, British reports mentioned that "Liverpool halted their attempts to sign English international Jude Bellingham, who Klopp had prioritized for the upcoming season." The Athletic reported that "Borussia Dortmund was asking for £130 million ($164.33 million) to sell the 19-year-old player, while other reports suggested he is close to moving to Real Madrid."
In response to a question about Liverpool's reaction if a seller demanded excessive financial compensation, Klopp said, "We won't sign the player in that case." He added, "We will sign players, and I am sure we will sign players we want who will be able to help us; I am completely confident about that." The German coach continued, "Let me clarify this: I define the position needed and do not specify just one candidate... I might have one player marked as the first option, but if his club doesn't want to sell or if another party pays the amount, we cannot sign him. However, we usually sign the players we want."
