Big summer coming at Liverpool! Jurgen Klopp expects 'early' transfer business as Reds prepare to react to rivals' spending

• Reds set for rebuild after poor season
• Champions League qualification could impact plans
• Klopp says business must start early regardless

WHAT HAPPENED? The Reds are widely expected to make big moves in the transfer market after a stark decline in results and performances in 2022-23. Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Klopp addressed the issue, talking openly about the need for reinforcements despite uncertainty surrounding his team's ability to qualify for next season's Champions League.

WHAT THEY SAID: He told reporters: "This is a summer where we have to be in the market, definitely. I’m sorry that I cannot guarantee Champions League at this moment, but we will fight for it. It will be tricky, and it will be decided late, I guess, but we have to start doing work early, before we know where we will end up, position-wise and European competition-wise. These things are clear."

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Earlier, Klopp had suggested Liverpool may need to "adapt" their transfer strategy following an unexpectedly poor campaign, and in light of the spending being seen at clubs such as Chelsea and Manchester City. Liverpool's principal owner John W Henry suggested this week that the club were confident of securing fresh investment following a lengthy search, but it remains to be seen both how quickly that is finalised, and what kind of impact it may have on Klopp's summer budget and plans. The Reds are keen on a number of players, including Borussia Dortmund's Jude Bellingham, Chelsea's Mason Mount and Matheus Nunes of Wolves.

"I am optimistic when John is optimistic, because that’s his business!" Klopp said on Friday. "I am not involved in the search for investors. Not yet! That would be funny! I did it at Dortmund once, but who cares? My job is to make sure we make it 100 percent clear what we need from a sports point of view, and then other people are responsible for giving us the resources or whatever.

"We played five years in a row in the Champions League and went through to the final three times which is massive from a money point of view. We built a stand and a training ground, the club is in a really good place, but around us, a few people are speeding up, and we cannot ignore these kind of things. It’s still about finding the right kind of players. It’s not about ‘a lot’ [of signings], it’s about the right ones. Thank God in the world of football there are a lot of ‘right' players'. Not all of them are affordable or want to come, but there are a lot of really good players out there. And that’s it."

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WHAT NEXT FOR LIVERPOOL? The Reds are in Premier League action on Saturday as they travel to Crystal Palace (19:45 GMT). They then entertain Wolves at Anfield on Wednesday (20:00 GMT).