Jurgen Klopp laughs off Jose Mourinho's attempts to crank up the pressure on Liverpool over their spending
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has laughed off Manchester United counterpart Jose Mourinho's attempt to ramp up the pressure on him ahead of the new campaign.
The Portuguese claimed the Reds need to win the Premier League title after spending £175million on Fabinho, Naby Keita, Xherdan Shaqiri and Alisson this summer - following on from signing Virgil van Dijk for £75m in January.
Liverpool are 7/2 second favourites to win the Premier League but Klopp dismissed those suggestions ahead of the two sides' meeting in Michigan on Saturday in the International Champions Cup.
"One of my biggest goals in life is to make Jose smile - it doesn't happen very often," joked the German.
"I don't even think it is a mind game, I think it is normal. I would never talk about Manchester United if no-one asked me about it.
👍 Jurgen Klopp isn't bothered about Jose Mourinho's latest mind games.
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"It is a free world and he can say whatever he wants. If he is happy about our transfers even better."#LFC #MUFC pic.twitter.com/nA7Y1CGSyu
"I have no problem with what Jose Mourinho is saying, it is a free world and he can say whatever he wants. If he is happy about our transfers even better.
"We know it doesn't mean you win (trophies) automatically."
Asked whether he had to win the Premier League this season Klopp said: "I don't think so.
"Do I get the sack if not? Depends on the football we play."
Klopp defends Alisson fee
Alisson became the world’s most expensive goalkeeper when he agreed to join Liverpool, but Klopp defended the £66m they could end up paying for the Brazil number one, saying he or other top-class options could have been even more expensive.
"Everybody thinks it's a lot of money. It is a lot of money," Klopp told ESPN football. "But he could've left for crazy money.
"The clause for Oblak for example is €100m, so nice! And that's it in this year where obviously a few things happen on the goalkeeper position.
"That's part of the job, to try to bring the best players you can get.
"The goalkeeper market is different because it's not each year that there is anybody available and stuff like that.
"We didn't know exactly if Alisson is available or not, but from a specific moment we realized obviously he is available and that's what the moment when we decided we want to go for him."
With the world's most expensive goalkeeper Alisson his fourth and likely to be final signing of the summer Klopp will now be looking to trim his squad.
Liverpool have opened talks with Besiktas about the sale of Simon Mignolet but other clubs are have also expressed an interest in the Belgium keeper.
It's reported that talks have begun with the Turkish Super Lig side over a permanent transfer as the Reds will not countenance a loan deal.
However, Besiktas are not the only club chasing the Belgian and Liverpool are expecting others to formalise their interest in the near future.
Klopp continues to support Karius, who is set to miss the United clash with a knee injury, despite his errors in Kiev.
"We have a new goalkeeper and Loris Karius is still here. He is young enough to still have a fantastic career," he told Sky Sports News.
"We don't need 54 players and 20 goalkeepers but can someone come and ask us (for a player) for £4 - no of course not.
"They are quality players. We are not in the situation where we have to do something but if someone comes in we are always open for talks."
Klopp not a fan of social media
Karius came in for huge criticism after his Champions League blunders, but Klopp insisted that signing Alisson was not a direct result of those errors in Kiev.
The German was keen to defend his compatriot, who has been the subject of a huge amount of criticism on social media – something Klopp stays away from.
“Look, I think my smartest decision in life was not to use social media,” Klopp added. “I don't read it if people criticize me on social media. They can write whatever they want and it never would faze me because I don't know it. I don't read it, so I don't feel it.
Liverpool v Man Utd bets for 2018/19 (odds via Sky Bet)
“I never really thought it right if you listen to people, they don't show you their face - if you want to tell me you're not happy with me, tell me now, but don't go out and write it on your smartphone and put it on Facebook, Instagram, whatever.
“Obviously, in their rooms when they write, they don't care about the person. Not only Loris - about nobody. They don't care. It's like they have a lot of power in that moment and they use it, but power is two things. When one has power, the other one who feeds it and so I really would say it's a good idea in life to really don't get in these things.”
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