Jurgen Klopp admits it is hard to compete with the financial power of Premier League rivals Chelsea and the Saudi Pro League – but refuses to let money be an excuse for Liverpool this season

Jurgen Klopp says it is ‘difficult’ for Liverpool to financially catch up with fellow big-spending Premier League clubs such as Chelsea and Saudi Arabia’s trolley-dash, but says the Reds will not use money as an excuse this season.

The German boss has seen Chelsea pip his team to the signatures of both Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia this week for eye-watering transfer fees, while two of his most experienced players – Jordan Henderson and Fabinho – jetted off to Saudi clubs.

And Klopp says it is now difficult to compete with the likes of Chelsea and clubs in the Gulf state. ‘Everything is more difficult,’ he said ahead of Liverpool’s clash with Bournemouth at Anfield tomorrow, a fixture the Reds won 9-0 last term.

‘There are reasons you all know them, you probably wrote it already, there are a lot of things that are different, some clubs have a different way to do it and no one understands 100 per cent how it works and as a normal club it is really difficult to catch up with them.

‘What they are doing is fine, I don’t blame anyone. Saudi Arabia on top makes it not easier. Our window ends on August 31 and theirs is still open (for three weeks) so they can come again, yes it is much more difficult.

Romeo Lavia had long been courted by the Reds but completed a £58m move on Thursday 

The club have turned to Japan captain Wataru Endo, signed for just £16m from Stuttgart

‘Not everything is perfect in this European football, it is not written in stone everyone has to watch the Premier League or the Bundesliga, it is fine if anyone grows another league, China tries it, USA maybe still trying it but the endless money causes a problem.

‘And it would be cool if someone could find a solution or regulation. But yes it became more difficult… but it is not difficult to persuade players to come to Liverpool, if I had called one million players they would have come here immediately.

‘But we cannot just spend. I am really happy with our transfer window at this moment, I know fans would rather bring in a player who is £100m and that is nice.

‘In the end the pitch is the same size, the player will not grow with the money he cost. We will not use money or anything else as an excuse. We do it our way.’