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Liverpool Echo

Sport

Mark Wakefield

Ibrahima Konate injury update as Liverpool transfer plans addressed by Jurgen Klopp

Jurgen Klopp Ibrahima Konate Crystal Palace Real Madrid Madrid (Organization)

Here are your Liverpool evening headlines for Friday, February 24.

Ibrahima Konate injury update

Jurgen Klopp has confirmed Liverpool will make changes for their trip to Crystal Palace as Ibrahima Konate closes in on a return.

The Reds, who lost 5-2 at home to Real Madrid in their last outing, have been without the Frenchman since the FA Cup defeat to Brighton last month. But the defender returned to training this week.

And while Klopp hinted that Saturday night’s match at Selhurst Park might come too soon for Konate, he conceded he might have to make changes to his side after a number suffered knocks against Madrid.

“Ibou is near but had two sessions with us after a long injury,” he told reporters. “We can see when the boys come on that they are not at their best at the moment. We have the situation now with Bobby and Diogo. But they need the minutes and will get better. That’s exactly the situation we have.

“We are not sure if all the boys could play again after Madrid because of some knocks here and there. We are really not 100% clear. We have to make changes and we want to, and we will make changes anyway, but it’s not that you come back after a long injury and it’s clicking again.”

READ THE FULL STORY HERE.

Liverpool transfer plans addressed by Jurgen Klopp

Jurgen Klopp launched into an impassioned defence of Liverpool’s transfer policy after acknowledging the Reds will need to make a number of transfers next summer.

Having nearly won an unprecedented quadruple last year, Liverpool are already out of both domestic cups and on the verge of Champions League elimination after losing 5-2 to Real Madrid at Anfield in the first leg of their round-of-16 tie in midweek. Meanwhile, they are at risk of failing to finish in the top four this season, with the Reds currently down in eighth and seven points behind fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur.

Speaking at his pre-match press conference ahead of Saturday’s trip to Crystal Palace, Klopp insisted Liverpool weren’t in a position to make mass changes sooner, while disappointing campaign has not changed the club’s transfer plans for the summer.

And well-aware of what needs to be done to his squad, he revealed that was partly why he signed a new contract with the club last year, before he explained Liverpool’s approach to transfers and conceded it might have to be adapted in the future.

“Yes (transfers are needed), what would be the other scenario? No, (our plans changed) not so much,” he said. “It’s not so much. We are all influenced by the things that happened recently.

“Of course, we are not that dumb. It’s not like, ‘Today is not good and now we have to change.’ This is clear, it was always clear.

“This team has a wonderful history. The way this club is led is by not splashing the money and having a look at if it works out or not. Our transfers always have to be on point. So that makes it really tricky where we cannot make four transfers before we know who will leave the club.

“Last year I said it a couple of times, and I don’t know how many times I can say it, I knew it would be tricky. And that was one of the main reasons why I signed a new contract, to make sure people who are not on top of all that have to discuss and then ‘he leaves next year’.

“And not because I’m that great, just because imagine the same situation with another coach. Everybody would have said, ‘Bring Klopp back’. It’s good, we don’t have that. Some of them want me out, it’s fine. I can understand that as well, but it’s not about that. It’s just about the club and the stability.”

READ THE FULL STORY HERE.

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