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Jurgen Klopp insists he's happy to go into the new season with his quartet of Liverpool centre-backs as he believes there's a dearth of available options in the transfer market.

The Reds have so far been frustrated in their attempts to sign £60million rated defender Virgil van Dijk, who has been training on his own since informing Southampton of his desire to move to Anfield.

Liverpool, who completed their pre-season schedule with a 3-1 win over Athletic Bilbao on Saturday, remain ready to shatter their transfer record for the Dutchman if Saints' stance changes over the coming weeks, but they don't have an alternative defensive target lined up.

Klopp says improving on what he's already got isn't easy and he's prepared to push on with Ragnar Klavan and Joe Gomez providing back up for his first choice centre-back combination of Dejan Lovren and Joel Matip.

"We have four (centre-backs). I don’t think we need more," Klopp said.

"Joe is in a really good way but it was not his day (against Athletic Bilbao). He made his life difficult with a few passes but things like this happen.

"In the moment I’m fine. We are open until the 31st (of August). We cannot force the things and we would never get a centre-back just because.

"We have the need, we have some but you don’t take any. It doesn’t work.

"Look out there and tell me five that would make us stronger, five. Then you win a prize! It’s difficult how it is.

"I’m happy. You can imagine we still work on different things and we will see if it works.

"I am here to work with this squad and not just always thinking ‘but if we don’t get this or this’. No. We could play tomorrow. It’s better that we don’t have to but we could play tomorrow."

Liverpool may have only made three signings so far this summer, but Klopp is adamant that the improvement in players like Alberto Moreno and Ryan Kent has further strengthened his hand ahead of next Saturday's Premier League opener at Watford.

(Image: Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

"I’m really fine with pre-season so far. What I said in there is the truth," he added.

"All this talking about signings and then Alberto Moreno what a pre-season, you were part of it, you saw it. He has matured 100%.

"Ryan Kent looked unbelievable, really strong. Dom (Solanke), maybe a few guys expected that, maybe not. That’s cool and I cannot ignore it. I don't want to ignore it.

"Let’s wait until August 31. Then we will talk about it (the strength of the squad). Why should we talk about this today?"

With new boy Mohamed Salah proving an instant hit and Sadio Mane back firing, Liverpool have looked potent going forward in pre-season.

However, they continue to struggle at times defensively. They conceded another soft goal against Athletic but Klopp believes that was down to mental fatigue.

He's given the players two days off to recover after their eighth and final friendly.

(Image: Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

"I don’t see it as a concern. That’s what we have spoken about. We had a meeting this week about the half spaces," Klopp added.

"We gave them a goal in the half spaces but the second half was different. We made some bad passes and made them strong in these moments but we reacted very well.

"In the first half there was not a lot of protection so really it’s a little bit in between.

"Would I prefer that we don’t have the issue any more? Probably yes but that’s the thing we have to work on now.

"The rest is fluent, it looks good, the movements are good. It’s no problem that the game changed, we were flying in the first 25 minutes and then it got more difficult. That’s completely normal.

"We have to be better organised. The goal we conceded is not a typical goal.

"It’s a good challenge by Dejan but nobody is around because we already thought he had sorted it. That is a bit of tiredness in the mind, the pre-season has been long.

"We just came back from the training camp and trained on Friday. Now we rest for the next two days and that’s very important. We will do better when we are fresher."