Liverpool Now Follow the Dortmund Blueprint
Jürgen Klopp’s Bundesliga masterplan has relocated to Anfield. With the transfer window now closed, Klopp has decided to stick with his trusted formula. Astute transfer business coupled with a streamlined squad historically suit the German coach. One major question on many Reds fans’ and Premier League pundits’ minds looms large. Can the Dortmund model successfully transfer into the English top flight?
Spend Much or Spend Astutely?
Traditionally, the top four clubs in the Premier League spend largely each season.Arsène Wenger, traditionally seen as overly-frugal, has just spent around £80million on Shkodran Mustafi, Granit Xhaka and Lucas Perez. Leicester City,traditionally modest spenders, now rank fifth in Premier League incoming transfer spending. The two Manchester clubs have invested almost £340million combined in new signings.
It is clearly evident that English clubs who qualify for Champions League slots are under immense pressure to spend freely in order to retain that status. Similarly, the clubs who finish close to the Champions League positions spend freely. Klopp’s determined deviation from the pressure to spend freely is commendable, and similarities with his Dortmund tenure cannot be ignored.
At Dortmund, Klopp took a traditional but struggling Bundesliga power back to the top. In doing so, an important part of the blueprint was his transfer dealings. Super expensive signings were the exclusive domain of Bayern Munich in 2008. The Bavarian superpower financially dwarfed all others at the time of Klopp’s arrival.
