The 1-0 defeat at home to Chelsea leaves Liverpool in grave danger of missing out on next season's UEFA Champions League. As a result, speculation regarding the future of Mohamed Salah, their talisman forward, has begun doing the rounds should the Reds fail to qualify for Europe.
Rumors of the Egyptian ace being unhappy at Anfield have been floating around for some time and the fact that he was frustratingly substituted off in the midweek loss to the Blues only adds fuel to this belief.
And with the reigning Premier League champions at risk of missing out on the top four this term, Klopp was asked not only if the Merseyside giants would struggle to attract top players, but also whether they can even keep ahold of their current superstars. While the question did not name Salah in person, the German tactician's response was one that answers the Egyptian ace's situation.
"I understand and respect all the questions but this is nothing we have to worry about. It was always like this," Jurgen said, as per Goal.
"I know that we have loyalty of the players. It's not a situation now where a player says to me: 'Next year we don't have Champions League so I have to leave'.
"That will not happen. I know them well enough for that not to happen because the club is in a different situation.
"It will not be an issue with new players, I can't see that. We said it years back that if a player doesn't want to come here because we don't play Champions League next year then I don't want them."
But what if a Liverpool player were to break that "loyalty"? What if one of Klopp's men did the unexpected and demanded to leave for European football should the Reds miss out on the UCL? The 53-year-old's solution to this was short but defiant: "And if a player wants to leave because we don't have Champions League then I don't want him.
"It's not a personal thing but it is always like this. You always need to find the right squad for the challenges you face and then you go for it, so it is nothing I worry about."
Having lost five home games in a row, the first time this has occurred in their entire history, Liverpool find themselves in seventh, four points behind fourth-placed Chelsea. In fact, the Merseyside giants could drop to ninth should their closest rivals win their game(s) in hand.
Despite this, the manager admitted he isn't overly worried about the club's future, given how they have suffered extended periods of European-less football in the past. "This club will not be regular outside of the Champions League," Klopp added.
"This year is difficult, we know that, but the potential and the power of the club is a completely different one.
"This is a season where you have to have momentum and we never really got it, that is true. But it says nothing about the future, this club is in a really good position. In difficult times, obviously, but in a better position than other clubs I would say.
"I understand about what happened in the past, but what I can say [is that] nobody has to worry about the future of the club because it is in good hands and we have a really good team together.
"That is obviously the best basis for a good future together."
