Jurgen Klopp says Thiago interest is just speculation, while playing down Georginio Wijnaldum exit
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Published 11/09/2020 at 14:22 GMT
Despite a move appearing to be on the horizon for much of the transfer window so far, Jurgen Klopp admitted any links between Liverpool and Bayern Munich's Thiago Alcantara are just speculation, while insisting Georginio Wijnaldum is happy to stay at Anfield, despite Barcelona interest.
Thiago Alcantara remains at Bayern
Image credit: Getty Images
Jurgen Klopp admitted that any links between Liverpool and Thiago Alcantara is just speculation, while insisting Georginio Wijnaldum is happy to stay.
For much of the transfer window to date, it appeared only a matter of time before Thiago, who has only one year left on his Bayern Munich contract, would be heading for Anfield, in a cut-price deal.
However, the Spain international remains in Bavaria, training with his Bayern team-mates on Friday, and Klopp does not believe the situation is going to change anytime soon.
"If I invented a word that would end speculation, I could become really rich. I can’t end speculation as long as the transfer window is open," Klopp said.
Thiago Alcantara is a really good player. It’s nice we are linked with him but that’s pretty much all really. Liverpool is a big club, so it’s nice, but apart from that, I’ve got nothing to say. Unfortunately I cannot end the speculation.
Klopp also insists the ongoing contract situation with Georginio Wijnaldum is "absolutely fine".
The Netherlands midfielder has less than a year on his current deal and is being heavily linked with a move to Barcelona, who are managed by his former national team coach Ronald Koeman. Klopp has played down the speculation.
“It's all good with Gini. Absolutely fine about the future as far as we are involved. I can't speak about a few years, but it's all good for the moment. You know the situation – between me, Gini and the club, everything is fine.
Since Gini is here I have had 500 or 600 talks with him. Of course I've spoken to him since he came back from international duty. But that's all.
KLOPP LAMENTS RETURN TO 3 SUBS
Klopp was less amused by the Premier League's decision to return to a system of allowing up to three substitutes in a match instead of five.
In May, football's rule-making body IFAB changed the regulations governing the maximum number of substitutes to help teams battling fixture congestion as they looked to complete the season after a three-month hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
IFAB left it to individual leagues to decide if they wanted to adopt the rule this season and Premier League clubs voted at their annual general meeting last month against continuing to allow the use of five substitutes in each game.
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"I thought from a common sense point of view it would be clear we will have 20 (players in the squad) and five (substitutes)," Klopp told reporters. "It's not an advantage, I don't like that we deal with this thing around the wrong facts.
"It's about players' welfare and the highest quality in games for all teams... Look at the other countries, Bayern (Munich) have the best team and have an advantage with the five subs (in the Bundesliga) but they play the most games.
"Now it is 18 (in the squad) and three (substitutes), so you have to rotate more, you need numbers and fit players. That's the job we have to do. We have to make the decisions."
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