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Jurgen Klopp knew that Liverpool’s recruitment drive wouldn’t be straightforward this summer.

When the Reds boss was quoted after May’s precious final day victory over Middlesbrough as saying work on transfers “was pretty much done”, many assumed that negotiations to land his top targets were already well advanced.

In truth what Klopp meant was that the Anfield hierarchy had agreed exactly what areas of the squad needed strengthening, who they would pursue and how much they were willing to spend.

With Liverpool targeting the top end of the market with the chosen trio of Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Naby Keita, securing those deals was always going to be challenging.

It took three weeks from the Reds’ opening £28million bid for Salah before they struck a deal with Roma for an initial fee of £37million.

Trying to sign van Dijk and Keita has proved more problematic with Southampton and RB Leipzig both insisting their prized assets are not for sale. Patience has been required.

“I wish the signings happened tomorrow but the best scenario is that they are done for the start of pre-season,” Klopp said after the end of season friendly in Sydney.

“I don’t know if that will happen this time.”

It hasn’t. Salah and young striker Dominic Solanke, who arrived from Chelsea, are the only new boys through the door as Klopp returns to Melwood this week.

However, recent history proves that’s nothing out of the ordinary. All managers want their business done early but it rarely works out that way as clubs hold out for the biggest fees and players in demand weigh up their options.

Since the turn of the decade Liverpool have done most of their summer business when pre-season has been in full swing.

2016

Sadio Mane, Loris Karius and Joel Matip were all on board by the time Liverpool started their first pre-season under Klopp 12 months ago. However, it was mid to late July before deals were done to sign Ragnar Klavan, Alex Manninger and Gini Wijnaldum. Interestingly, Klopp didn’t buy anyone in August.

2015

(Image: Nick Taylor/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

Brendan Rodgers had Joe Gomez, Alex Bogdan, Danny Ings, James Milner and Nathaniel Clyne in the bag by the start of pre-season. But the big money deals for Roberto Firmino and Christian Benteke arrived over the following weeks.

2014

Rickie Lambert, Adam Lallana and Emre Can were all snapped up in time for the bleep tests at Melwood. But Liverpool didn’t really splash the cash until later in the window. Lazar Markovic, Dejan Lovren and Divock Origi were bought by the end of July with Javier Manquillo (loan), Alberto Moreno and Mario Balotelli following them to Anfield in August.

2013

The quartet of Luis Alberto, Iago Aspas, Simon Mignolet and Kolo Toure came on board before pre-season started. However, the Premier League campaign was underway by the time Liverpool did any more business. They picked up Aly Cissokho on loan and then a late flurry at the end of the window saw them sign Mamadou Sakho, Tiago Ilori and Victor Moses (loan).

2012

It was a summer of upheaval with Kenny Dalglish’s sacking followed by the appointment of Rodgers. It was mid July before the Reds signed anyone.

Fabio Borini was the first one in followed in August by Joe Allen, Oussama Assaidi, Nuri Sahin (loan) and Samed Yesil.

2011

Jordan Henderson’s £16million move from Sunderland was completed in the June but deals for Dalglish’s six other new boys were spread out through July and August. Charlie Adam, Alexander Doni, Stewart Downing, Jose Enrique, Sebastian Coates and Craig Bellamy walked through the door.

2010

Roy Hodgson only got the job on July 1 and with the club in a mess financially it proved to be a torrid summer window.

The signing of Jonjo Shelvey had already been sorted out before Hodgson’s arrival with Milan Jovanovic, Danny Wilson and Joe Cole also lined up.

Liverpool went on to land Fabio Aurelio, Christian Poulsen, Brad Jones, Raul Meireles, Paul Konchesky and Suso.