Jurgen Klopp has hit back at recent criticism surrounding the age of his Liverpool squad - and insists the club will continue to be smart in the transfer window ahead of a highly-anticipated rebuild.
Having won the FA Cup and League Cup and finished within a whisker of achieving an unprecedented quadruple last time out, this season will end in disappointment and without a trophy.
Such failure in the cup competitions, which looks set to be compounded by missing out on Champions League qualification for the first time in seven seasons through the Premier League, will force Liverpool into a busy summer of spending as they look to reconstruct key areas of their squad, chiefly in midfield.
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However, one player who will not be arriving at Anfield is Jude Bellingham, with the ECHO understanding that club officials have opted against a move for the Borussia Dortmund and England superstar in favour of conducting a more practical approach to the much-needed revamp of Klopp's squad.
However, in light of Liverpool's pursuit of the 19-year-old coming to an end, some supporters have taken aim at their failure to gradually reduce the average age of the Reds' engine room. In fact, 12 members of the matchday squad that drew with Arsenal last weekend were present during the 2019 Champions League triumph, with Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain not included in that number.
Yet Klopp has emphatically hit back at the recent discussions around the age of his squad, insisting that the experience of the older players within his ranks was key to the club's recent trophy-sweeping seasons.
"We have not the youngest squad, we know, but we have lots of young players as well," said the Liverpool boss, speaking ahead of Monday's Premier League clash at Elland Road against Leeds United. "We built a team over the years, we were successful, and last season we almost won the quadruple - as close as you can get.
"A lot of the things we achieved is based on the experience the boys had together - one year later we are not great. Everybody tells us, 'you're too old, we knew that already'. Ah, you knew it? Great'."
When probed on potential transfers to lower the average age, however, Klopp refused to be drawn on speculation surrounding players or fees and instead confirmed the Reds will continue to operate in their usual "smart" manner.
"I cannot give you a number [that we will spend] and I won't give you a number," added Klopp. "It's about doing the right things, it's not about how much, it's about the right things and that's what we always try.
"Then we play football and people are allowed to judge us but again I'm 100% sure, if you give the power to some people, they bring in 20 new players, you give it to others and they bring old players back. Stuff like this.
"We are in charge and that's what we decide on. It's an interesting period but we always try to be smart in the transfer market. It's not completely new to us."
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