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Jurgen Klopp says he has the full backing of Liverpool’s owners if he wants to splash the cash this month - but insists it’s “pretty difficult” to land his top transfer targets.

A dip in form ahead of Sunday’s clash with Manchester United has raised concerns over whether the Reds possess sufficient strength in depth to maintain a challenge for silverware this season.

Klopp’s squad has been depleted by injuries and the departure of winger Sadio Mane to the Africa Cup of Nations. However, the Reds boss insists if the “right player” isn’t available then he will sit tight and not do any business until the summer.

Liverpool missed out on Julian Draxler, who left Wolfsburg for Paris Saint-Germain, while trying to prise away either Christian Pulisic from Borussia Dortmund or Julian Brandt from Bayer Leverkusen appears unlikely this month.

The German coach isn’t interested in any short-term fixes.

“The difference between you and me is that I have to think about the whole situation in general,” Klopp said.

“If now we had three players more, if these players were here a few weeks ago when everyone was performing and fit, this player could not have helped us in the situation.

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“It’s good for the players to have the rhythm – to play always and to feel needed.

“The right player for us – if he’s available and if the club he plays for wants to sell him, that’s pretty difficult at this moment because who wants to sell high quality players? All the other players we don’t need, that’s how it is.

“You don’t buy a player for one or two games; that makes no sense. We have to go through this now. Of course it is not too cool that Sadio is not here.

“Of course it’s not too cool that Phil (Coutinho) was injured but is now on the way back. Is he at exactly the same level as before the injury is another question because they are all human beings. It’s not like they can just perform like this (clicks fingers).

“Of course Daniel (Sturridge) was injured and has come in and needs rhythm. Joel Matip was in best shape then he was out. That’s not cool either. But as a squad and as a team you have to go through these situations. You have to take the benefit of being a strong group.

“You can imagine and believe, we always think about how we can strengthen the squad. There’s absolutely no issue from the owners side. They do not think: winter, (players cost) too much money. We only think about the right players. Not any player.”