Why Jurgen Klopp Needs To 'Outsign' Premier League Rivals

Jurgen Klopp arrived Liverpool FC on October 2015, the club was clearly broken and yet to recover from the departures of Luis Suarez (to Barcelona in 2014) and Raheem Sterling  (to Manchester City in 2015), the club at the time summarized what they had become in Klopp's first game in charge as the Reds fought out a barren draw with Spurs at White Hart Lane. The Red Army brushed that performance aside to put together a string of decent performances in the games that followed.

KLOPP'S FIRST SEASON

Klopp's Liverpool reign had it's first opportunity of bringing Silverware to anfield twice in 2016, but the18 time English Champions squandered those opportunities, firstly to Manuel Pellegrini's Manchester City in the League Cup final and then more painfully three months later when they let a 1-0 scoreline turn to 1-3 as Sevilla beat their English opponents.

The two cup final losses were the major talking points from Klopp's first season in charge of Liverpool but he could be given a pass, why? well the German tactician did not start the season with Liverpool and was not in charge of the new players brought in during the summer of 2015. Maybe things might have been different if he had taken over in July 2015, maybe he was still getting used to life on Merseyside, maybe a little bit of culture shock, maybe the congested Premier League fixtures during Christmas period was rather harsh on the new Kop manager in his first season. These are all points, some more valid than the others.

2016/17

The 2016/17 was Jurgen Klopp's first full season in charge of Liverpool and the priorities were all cut out for the former Borrusia Dortmund manager. A top four finish was a must at least and then a title win would be welcome. Sadio Mane was brought in from Southampton to help in this quest but after a flawless and flourishing start to the season Liverpool imploded, they fell harder than a pack of cards, opposing teams cut through their defence like a hot knife through butter.

That season was supposed to be 'Klopp's season', with the absence of European football there was less distraction for the Anfield club and they had extra incentive to really go for the title just like Chelsea did, just like Leicester City did the year before, but Klopp's men never recovered from their mid season dip in form.

Sadio Mane's absence due to the AFCON in Gabon earlier this year has been sighted by many as a turning point (for bad) for the reds last season. Klopp needs to understand that these days patience in the football world is a very scarce commodity and the 50 year old should be in tune with fact that this season (2017/18) could be the final 'chance'.

Liverpool have genuinely been in Premier League contention once in the past decade, the SSS (Suarez, Sturridge and Sterling) came close but could not hand Liverpool it's first Premier League title, Klopp had all the opportunity last season to mount a similar or if not an even  better challenge but Liverpool still finished the season without a trophy and only confirming their top four finish in the dying minutes of their last game of the season against an already relegated Middlesbrough.

WHAT CAN KLOPP DO?

Players change clubs, there are good players and there are great players. There are title winning players, there are players who will keep you in the league and then there are players who would just do enough to make sure their team does not get relegated.

Liverpool is yet to 'make a statement' in the transfer market , Mohammed Salah is an addition that would surely move the Reds forward but is he enough? NO. A major striker is needed at Anfield, not necessarily a striker with a huge price tag but one who has no remorse in front of goal, if Liverpool intend to mount any kind of  challenge in the coming season they need three or four of such signings in different areas.

Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola will want blood in the coming season and have thrown caution to the wind as they have spent so big this summer, but Liverpool is a club that needs to even 'outsign' City, United and Chelsea if they want to stand a chance. Mourinho, Conte and Guardiola now know their teams better after completing their first seasons. The stake will be ever higher for Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool in the coming season if they do not make hay while transfer window is still open.