'I am not interested in what Jose Mourinho says': Jurgen Klopp refuses to take dig after Manchester United manager suggests Liverpool would find things difficult this season

  • Jurgen Klopp refuses to be drawn into a war of words with Jose Mourinho
  • Mourinho said Liverpool and Chelsea would find things tougher this season
  • Both the Premier League sides have to deal with exertions of European football
  • Meanwhile, Klopp says Liverpool won't sign a big name just for the sake of it 

Jurgen Klopp has refused to be drawn into a war of words with Jose Mourinho before the season has even started.

Last week, the Manchester United boss tried to kick off the mind games by suggesting that both Liverpool and champions Chelsea would find things more difficult this season as they would have to deal with European football.

‘I’m not interested in what Jose Mourinho says,’ Klopp responded. 'Why should I talk about Manchester United? Jose is talking about us, yes. We had a season of what Man United had the year before. I don’t know if anybody asked us how it felt (then).’ The Liverpool manager even suggested his Old Trafford counterpart may be right.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp doesn't want to get involved in a war of words with Jose Mourinho

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp doesn't want to get involved in a war of words with Jose Mourinho

The Manchester United boss has tried to kick off the mind games before the new season

The Manchester United boss has tried to kick off the mind games before the new season

‘The Europa League was hard,’ he said. ‘Yes, Chelsea will feel also the difference, they played something like 13 players last season. But it’s also not my problem if they use only 11, well done. I do not want to be part of this – I am not interested.’ 


Meanwhile, Klopp remains relaxed about Liverpool’s transfer window and said the club would not sign a big name just for the sake of it.

So far, £36.9m Roma winger Mohamed Salah, Chelsea youngster Dominic Solanke and £8m Hull full-back Andy Robertson have been the only new arrivals with Klopp so far frustrated in efforts to bring in Southampton’s Virgil van Dijk and RB Leipzig’s Naby Keita.

Work remains ongoing around targets, but the manager is more interested in what happens on the pitch. ‘There’s a feeling that the transfer window is more interesting than the league,’ Klopp said. ‘People (look at who their club have bought and) think: "Oh we are winning already." Unfortunately after the transfer window you have to carry on playing. That’s what I am most interested in. It doesn’t mean we don’t want to bring players in. We’ve always brought players in. Wonderful players. But it was not like - I don’t know – (Zlatan) Ibrahimovic, (Romelu) Lukaku and others. Does that mean we can’t do it? I have no idea. We will see.

Liverpool have signed three players this summer, including the £36.9m Mohamed Salah

Liverpool have signed three players this summer, including the £36.9m Mohamed Salah

‘We want to do the right thing and not calm the people down with a big signing and everyone will think now you have to [win the league], then its: "Oh, obviously you can’t"'.

Across Stanley Park, Everton have already brought in new players, with some suggesting they may finish above their neighbours. While respectful, Klopp is not losing any sleep.

‘I’m not interested in what other clubs are doing until we play them,’ he said. ‘So they can make the best business or the worst business, I’m not in it. I heard, of course a few things that they have done. Strikers, good. Wayne Rooney, you don’t have to talk about. The centre-half (Michael) Keane came. Good. So a lot of really good business. (Davy) Klaassen. So it’s all good.

‘There is a lot of respect and if they’ve done good business, well done. But when we face them we still want to win.’

German manager Klopp is not losing any sleep over Everton's summer transfer business

German manager Klopp is not losing any sleep over Everton's summer transfer business