Jurgen Klopp is growing frustrated with life as Liverpool manager, according to reports.
The Reds were thumped 4-1 by Manchester City on Sunday to fall 10 points adrift of top spot in the Premier League.
Their title chances are hanging by a thread, with table-toppers City having played one game fewer than the defending champions.
Liverpool have won only two of their last nine top-flight outings and are now locked in a battle for Champions League qualification.
Injuries to key players have proved costly this season, with centre-back trio Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip and Joe Gomez all out for the rest of the campaign.
Liverpool added two new central defenders to their squad on transfer deadline day last week, signing Ben Davies from Preston and Ozan Kabak from Schalke.
But according to The Sun, Klopp’s principal target was Kalidou Koulibaly, with the German left frustrated by the club’s failure to sign the Napoli stopper.
It was always going to be difficult for Liverpool to complete a deal for the Senegal international, who is valued at £100m by his current employers.
The report states that Klopp made it clear to Fenway Sports Group (FSG) that Koulibaly was his top target at centre-back.
And he believes a club of Liverpool’s size could have done more to agree a deal for the 29-year-old.
At the same time, FSG are said to be frustrated that Klopp does not seem to have got to grips with the club’s financial difficulties amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Liverpool’s owners will also point to their outlay in the summer, when Diogo Jota was brought in for £45m and Thiago Alcantara signed for £27m.
But their failure to pursue a move for Koulibaly in January seems to have annoyed Klopp, who will now turn his attention to securing a top-four finish.
Liverpool return to Premier League action against Leicester this weekend.
While you're here, subscribe to FourFourTwo today and save 37%. All the exclusive interviews, long reads, quizzes and more but with more than a third-off normal price.
