Jurgen Klopp urged FIFA to investigate Saudi Arabia’s transfer window closing 3 weeks after Europe’s, worrying that big European leagues may lose more players without being able to replace them.
The transfer window for the Premier League closes on September 1, as it does for most of Europe’s top leagues, however, Saudi Pro League clubs can add players until September 20.
Liverpool have already lost three important players to Saudi teams, including captain Jordan Henderson and fellow midfielder Fabinho, as well as attacker Roberto Firmino, who left on a free transfer.
“The influence of Saudi Arabia is massive at the moment,” Klopp made the statement to the reporters on Tuesday, one day before Liverpool’s pre-season match against Bayern Munich in Singapore.
“Pretty much the worst thing I think is that the transfer window in Saudi Arabia is open three weeks longer. If I am right, I heard something like that, then at least in Europe that’s not helpful.” He added, “UEFA (Europe’s football body) or FIFA must find solutions for that. But in the end, at this moment, I don’t know exactly what will happen. It’s already influential for us but we will have to learn to deal with it… Time will show.”
Klopp also denied rumours that Liverpool was interested in signing Kylian Mbappe on loan for the season, as the Frenchman seeks to leave Paris Saint-Germain, where he is in the final year of his contract.