Jurgen Klopp believed other clubs could not compete with them because their owners are state investment vehicles.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has given his stance on Financial Fair Play ahead of crucial Man City game. The German has been consistent with his views on Man City and FFP. The Liverpool boss discussed this after the 10-point deduction for Everton by the Premier League. FFP has been a trending topic among football fans as Man City and Chelsea are also part of this violation.
Liverpool will resume their Premier League campaign with a home game against league leaders, Manchester City. Before going into this game week, Everton faces a 10-point deduction after allegations of financial misdemeanours are proven. We may see more developments in the story. Man City is on the radar along with Chelsea who can face punishment for FFP.
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Jurgen Klopp made the statement last season when Man City were charged with 115 breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules. The German claimed that three clubs in the world “can do what they want” when it comes to spending money. He clearly targeted Pep Guardiola’s City. Jurgen Klopp was admired for his bold statement on FFP.
Big clubs have found creative ways to counter punishment. They came out from FFP violation by getting off on technicalities. Klopp was clear on his stance last season and targeted clubs like City, Newcastle and PSG. He believed other clubs could not compete with them because their owners are state investment vehicles. He said, “You will not like the answer, and you all have the answer already. Nobody can compete with City in that.“
Klopp also added in his opinion, “You have the best team in the world and you put in the best striker on the market. No matter what it costs, you just do it. I know City will not like it, nobody will like it, you’ve asked the question but you know the answer. What does Liverpool do? We cannot act like them. It is not possible. Not possible. It is just clear and again you know the answer.
The Merseyside club have spent approximately £810m on signings in the Jurgen Klopp era. The German joined Liverpool in the midway of the season 2015-16. During the same time, Man City’s outlay has been £1.3bn. Wages also play a major role in countering the transfer window. Jurgen Klopp also felt that Newcastle could be the next club that will be in the same category. The Magpies are also under Saudi ownership.
Klopp added, “There are three clubs in world football who can do what they want financially. It’s legal and everything, fine, but they can do what they want. They will say: ‘Yeah but we have …’ but it’s exactly the fact. We have to look at it [and say]: ‘We need that and we need that and we have to look here and make it younger, and here a prospect and here a talent’ and that is what you have to do. And you compete with them.”
His reference to Newcastle ownership was also important. Klopp continued his opinion of ownership rule in making FFP violation: “You all know it, you should know. I heard now that at Newcastle somebody [sporting director Dan Ashworth] said: ‘There is no ceiling for this club.’ Yes, he is right. He is absolutely right. There is no ceiling for Newcastle. Congratulations, but some other clubs have ceilings.”
Jurgen Klopp also criticised Man City in 2020 while admiring FFP when the Court of Arbitration for Sport lifted the suspension imposed on the club by UEFA. Man City was handed a two-year ban for alleged breaches of the European FFP rules. However, they won their appeal. Klopp said after the verdict, “I don’t think it was a good day for football yesterday, to be honest.
He continued, “FFP is a good idea. It is there for protecting teams and the competition, so that nobody overspends and they have to make sure the money they want to spend is based on the right sources. If the richest clubs and countries can do what they want to do, then that makes it difficult. That would lead to a world league, it would depend on who owns the clubs and not the names of the clubs.“
