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Jurgen Klopp's stance on Liverpool transfer swoop for Man Utd target Kalidou Koulibaly
Liverpool and Manchester United have been linked with making a summer transfer swoop for Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly.
Kalidou Koulibaly shows defensive skills for Napoli in Serie A
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp is not interested in signing Napoli defender and Manchester United transfer target Kalidou Koulibaly in the summer window, according to reports. For several seasons Napoli have rejected attempts from top European clubs to sign Koulibaly, but speculation about the 28-year-old's future has once again emerged ahead of the summer window.
However, according to The Athletic reporter James Pearce, Liverpool have no interest in signing the Senegal international in the upcoming window.
When asked about the likelihood of the Reds making a move for Koulibaly, he said: "No idea where Koulibaly talk has come from.
"Klopp isn't in the market for a CB as far as I'm aware."
This will give a boost to the other teams who are interested in Koulibaly, however, there is still the matter of negotiating a price with Napoli.
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And the centre-back is not expected to leave Naples for less than £89million this summer.
And while United, Newcastle, Tottenham, Barcelona and Real Madrid have all been linked with making a move for the defender, a price that high would be a stretch for most teams in the current market.
Koulibaly's contract doesn't expire until 2023 and while the player may have ambitions to play elsewhere, the club could comfortably hold onto the player for another season, with the hope the market recovers next summer.
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Liverpool's other transfer target RB Leipzig star Timo Werner is also a player who's future remains uncertain.
The striker has talked about looking to secure a move away from the Bundesliga, but while the Reds appear to be at the front of the queue, they are delaying making an offer as they asses the impact the suspension of football has had on the club's finances.
And Pearce insisted that a move by Liverpool for Werner is still "in the balance" this summer.
"As I've reported previously, LFC very keen on Werner and he's made no secret of his admiration for Klopp," Pearce said when asked how likely are Liverpool to sign the striker.
"However, all transfer activity currently on hold due to COVID-19.
"Too much uncertainty at the moment for any big decisions to be made. In the balance."
As for Klopp, he has also insisted he won't be “going mad” in the summer transfer window.
He insisted that while being successful means players want to join, the club also has to determine if they can give the player the minutes they are seeking.
"If they see you are successful, it’s easier to get into talks with players," he said. “But on the other side, it’s more difficult the better your team is because they ask questions like ‘where and when would I play?’
“We need players who want to be part of this, who want to fight for their spot, who want to make the next step together with us, who want to develop and improve so that’s it.
“We have these players and whoever wants to join us, needs to have exactly this kind of attitude.”