New Liverpool sporting director Jorg Schmadtke reveals he ‘hasn’t been given a transfer budget yet’

Liverpool’s new sporting director Jorg Schmadtke has admitted he is unsure on the club’s summer transfer budget after signing a three-month deal with the Reds.

Schmadtke’s appointment was confirmed on Tuesday morning, with the experienced German replacing Julian Ward to oversee Liverpool’s summer business.

He has revealed that he doesn’t know how much money he will be given by the owners, but has brushed off the idea that this is an early concern ahead of starting his role on June 1.

‘I don’t have a budget yet… (laughs). Seriously, transfers are always complicated,’ Schmadtke told Sport1.

‘When a player moves from A to B, it’s mostly about small things that are difficult to influence and unrelated to making money. 

This summer will be a big one for Liverpool after they finished fifth in the league this season

‘For example, how the player integrates with his family in the city, what his place in the team should be, how he can show his maximum performance. You have to take that into account. The sums involved in these transfers are almost irrelevant.’

This summer promises to be a crucial one for Liverpool as they look to bounce back from a disappointing campaign that saw them finish outside the Champions League places.

Schmadtke looks set to have a big role to play in improving the squad, but he has insisted it will be manager Jurgen Klopp that has the final say when it comes to transfers. 

‘The influence of the coach on transfers is greater in England than in Germany, where a sports director or sports director holds everything in one hand. Jurgen Klopp sets the priorities,’ he added.

‘We set him up with a team of data analysts, scouts and so on, so he can then choose from a list of players who he wants to work with. Then I’ll deal with the transfers with the responsible departments in the club. 

‘And in the end, the owners have to be satisfied with the investments.’

Schmadtke has impressed behind the scenes at a number of German clubs during his career, while Klopp is very familiar with the Bundesliga after having successful spells at Mainz and Borussia Dortmund.

But Schmadtke has played down the idea that his relationship with Klopp helped him land his latest role.

‘We’re not that close to each other,’ Schmadtke said when discussing his relationship with Klopp.

Schmadtke has been pictured smiling with Jurgen Klopp, but insists the pair are ‘not that close’

‘We were in the Bundesliga at the same time. He as a coach, I as a sports director, you know each other. I know his advisor Marc Kosicke better. He maintains a good exchange with the owners of Liverpool FC. 

‘When the current sporting director announced that he wanted to leave for personal reasons, Marc told them: “If you are looking for an older and experienced manager for the transfer period, you might want to look into Jorg Schmadtke from Germany”.’

Schmadtke’s short-term contract is set to expire at the end of the transfer window, but he has not ruled out staying at Liverpool if things go well this summer.

‘After three months we review the cooperation,’ he said. ‘If we like each other, we can work together beyond the transfer period. Let’s see.’