Liverpool will not make a move for Jude Bellingham this summer – the England midfielder could cost in excess of £100m
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has compared talk of big-money transfers with a five-year-old asking for a Ferrari for Christmas.
Despite being heavily linked with a move, the Reds will not pursue signing England midfielder Jude Bellingham because of the money involved.
Any move for the 19-year-old Borussia Dortmund player could cost in excess of £100m.
“We cannot have six players in a summer, everyone for £100m,” he said.
Klopp dismisses Bellingham talk – ‘It’s like a child wanting a Ferrari for Christmas’
The German added: “We are not children; when you ask a five-year-old what they want for Christmas and they say a Ferrari, you wouldn’t say ‘oh, that’s a good idea’.
“You would say ‘no, that is too expensive and anyway, you cannot drive it’. If this kid is then unhappy their whole life because he cannot get a Ferrari, it would be a really sad life.
“You look what you can do, and you work with that.
“What we need and what we want, we try absolutely everything to get it, but there are moments when you have to accept that this or that is not possible for us – you step aside and do different stuff.”
Liverpool will have Luis Diaz available when they face Leeds United at Elland Road on Monday (20:00 BST).
The Reds, eighth in the table, have won just one of their past five Premier League games.
Klopp says he expects Leeds to come out fighting, particularly after the “proper knock” they faced in Sunday’s 5-1 home defeat by Crystal Palace.
“We expect them to be on their toes, proper atmosphere,” said Klopp.
“We have to build on two games with good moments. We will try to do that. We have nothing to lose, we have to try new things; everything is on the table. I’m looking forward to the game. Leeds will go with all they have. It will never be an easy game.”