Jurgen Klopp admits Liverpool’s recruitment plans will suffer if they fail to qualify for next season’s edition of the Champions League.
The Reds are currently 22 points adrift of Premier League leaders Manchester City and are already out of the title race.
Klopp’s side are instead locked in a battle to finish in the top four, with Liverpool currently two points adrift of the final Champions League qualification spot.
Victory over Chelsea on Thursday would see the reigning champions climb into fourth place.
Liverpool have been tipped to strengthen their squad when the transfer market reopens this summer.
However, Klopp has warned supporters that the club’s ambitions will be tempered if they fail to finish in the top four.
“The main reason for qualifying for the Champions League is always financial. It is a great competition to play in but for the club it’s about [finances].
“Sure, you want to excite some players. In the beginning we were sitting with some players who had offers from clubs who played in the Champions League and it was like ‘OK, sorry, we can only offer nothing or Europa League!’
“But apart from that it’s always about finances. This year there is no difference, I would say. I hope people still see we do our absolute best and try everything to make it happen, but we will see how it will end up.
“It is not that the owners called me and said ‘if you don’t qualify for the Champions League then this or that will happen’, because we are all together.
“We all understand the situation. They know we try absolutely everything to qualify for the Champions League again, that’s clear.”
Liverpool will also qualify for the Champions League if they win this season’s edition of the competition.
Klopp’s men are currently 2-0 up against RB Leipzig in their last-16 tie.
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