Jurgen Klopp has given the clearest indication yet that Liverpool's summer will involve a significant and costly rebuild.
And the Reds boss admits his recruitment team will be forced to identify players before the club know if they have Champions League football next season as the manager eyes a summer shake-up.
Tuesday's 5-2 defeat to Real Madrid was the Reds' 11th of the campaign and the first time the club have shipped five in a European game at Anfield. The humbling reverse leaves them with a mountain to climb in the Spanish capital next month as the European champions became the eighth team to score three or more against Klopp's men this term.
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Midfield has been a glaring issue for the Reds all season while the concession of so many goals, particularly since the turn of the year, has also increased the scrutiny on the defence. Calls have been growing for some time about the need for a significant restructuring in the summer transfer market.
Klopp says he is uneasy discussing the work that will need to be undertaken behind the scenes when there are still 16 games to play in the Premier League but more than hinted at a sizable outlay in the summer months, regardless of whether or not Anfield will host Champions League football from August.
"I always have the same say [in transfers]," Klopp said. "I cannot decide, at all, about money. Not about one penny. It is always the same. The old-school managers maybe had a budget and could work like this, it is not that way. Has the way we identify players changed? No. It is exactly the same.
"It's not helpful [if we don't get Champions League]. Money always has an impact. But this cannot be that much of an impact, let me say it like this. Of course it is influential but this is a summer where we have to be in the market, definitely.
"I am sorry that we cannot guarantee the Champions League at this moment but it's not done yet, we will fight for it, so we don't have to talk about it as though it is not possible. But it is tricky and difficult and if [we qualify], it will be a late decision, I guess.
"We have to start doing work earlier than before we know where we will end up position-wise and European competition-wise, so these things are clear here."
Earlier this week the club's principal owner John W Henry confirmed that Liverpool is no longer for sale but claimed the search for external investment remains ongoing for Fenway Sports Group.
In a chat with the Boston Sports Journal, Mr Henry said: "Will we be in England forever? No. Are we selling LFC? No. Are we talking with investors about LFC? Yes. Will something happen there? I believe so, but it won't be a sale. Have we sold anything in the past 20+ years?"
On those comments, Klopp added: "I am optimistic when he is optimistic because it is his business. I am not involved in the search for investors. Not yet! That would be funny! I can be, by the way, I did that at Dortmund once.
"So my job is to make it 100% clear what we need from a sports point of view and then other people are responsible for giving us the resources or whatever. I have nothing to do with that. So I think we've played five years in a row in the Champions League, which is massive and we went to the final three times in that time, which is massive from a money point of view.
"We built a stand and a training ground and the club is in a really good place, but around us, a few people are speeding up a little bit and you cannot ignore that. You cannot ignore that.
"It's still about bringing in the right players, it's not about bringing in a lot. It's about the right player. And 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. That is it.
"The only reason I don't like to talk too much about it now is because there are a lot of games to play. You always ask about transfers or something but no, this team is the basis for what we do and it always was the basis for what we do. And even now, when people are in the mood to [say] 'he should go and he can go and bam bam bam'. My God, calm down please!
"Have a look, go on YouTube and remind yourselves 'my God, that is what he did, he throws his heart and soul on to the pitch'. That doesn't mean we have to be thankful to him for the rest of his life but that's still in there, so let's make a decision at the end of the season and while we are together, let's support this group together with me with all we have. That is all I am asking for to be honest. And then we can talk about everything.
"Yes I have said plenty of times I don't want to talk every week about potential things happening in the summer. I said it once today, it's the second or third time and that is it. Now you know what we will do, not exactly what, but what we will do and from now on we can talk about the wonderful football we play, when we play it."
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