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Jurgen Klopp believes his squad is made for the Champions League already – although it won’t stop him targeting quality this summer.

But the Liverpool boss has warned it will be difficult to find players who can improve his side.

Southampton centre-back Virgil van Dijk and Naby Keita, RB Leipzig’s all-action midfielder, are amongst those at the top of the German’s list.

Both would arrive with the intention of strengthening a defensive set-up that has shipped 42 goals this season and means Liverpool head into the final game of the season with their top four hopes in the balance.

Klopp’s side must beat Middlesbrough on Sunday to guarantee their spot in next season’s Champions League, with the belief their summer transfer activity hinges upon success this weekend.

Yet Klopp is already happy with what he has at his disposal at Anfield – both in defence and attack – and thinks he has a line-up capable of playing in Europe’s top competition.

On his side’s defensive issues, he told The Times: “Somebody blocks a ball on the line, and you say ‘brilliant defending’ but it’s not; brilliant defending would have been if the guy couldn’t have had the shot.

“Big heart, passionate moment, but the defending was s***. Defending is the team.

“The more offensive you are, the more space you give the other team. We conceded too many goals. Most of them come from counterattacks and set pieces, so losing the ball in the wrong moment, don’t have the protection, it’s our fault. If our defending wasn’t good, do you think I’d keep them?

“We can finish fourth, we play brilliant football in a few games this year, so when our squad is fully fit it’s a Champions League squad already, especially the line-up.”

Naming reasons why potential signings would be attracted to Liverpool, Klopp stressed it still would not be a simple task to bring players into the club who will improve what he’s already working with.

That, however, won’t stop his side from improving next year.

“We have to be better next year and we will be,” he added. “For this we need to bring in quality players. Believe me, it is not easy to find players who make us better. We are already good.

“We will find them because I love the combination of Liverpool: the name, the size of the club, the support, the power, the money we can pay, stadium we have, the atmosphere we can create, I love it. It’s the biggest ever.”

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Although there is some hint of a continuing policy of buying for the future – with Fulham’s Ryan Sessegnon, 16, high on the wishlist – the likes of van Dijk and Keita suggest Klopp is focusing on recruiting proven talents as well.

Despite that, the Reds boss will strive to mould each player and extract as much potential from them as possible.

One such player is Daniel Sturridge, with Klopp hinting the striker’s future may still lie on Merseyside.

He said: “It’s not about trying to find a player who has the same mindset as Cristiano Ronaldo, Messi, Ibrahimovic, or Lewandowski, because you won’t find them.

“It’s about making the best of the skills you have.

“A fit Sturridge is an unbelievable player. That’s a pity of the situation, not often enough but he’s now fit, spot on, trained two or three weeks.

“Of course (he has a future here).”