News that Liverpool will not be "splashing the cash" this January makes its way onto a number of back pages on Monday, with Jurgen Klopp adamant that his club will not further strengthen this month.
It helps the Anfield club, of course, that they have just spent £36m to snap up Netherlands forward Cody Gakpo before the January transfer window had even opened. It could easily be argued outside of Merseyside that the only reason more cash will not be splashed imminently is because Liverpool have only just forked out a significant sum on top of the guaranteed £64m and potential £85m that they spent in summer to sign Darwin Nunez in the same attack.
Whatever the semantics, Liverpool's signing has to be seen as a statement of intent. At a time when the team have struggled to hit the heights of recent seasons and with the club facing key departures off the field, snapping up Gakpo without a protracted chase or bidding war is a sign that they still mean business and are intent on strengthening when necessary even if it comes in the usually quiet January window.
