Liverpool sits third in the English Premier League (EPL), still in position to qualify for the Champions League next season. The Reds' improved performances have gone hand in hand with the arrival of their manager Jurgen Klopp.

He told CGTN’s Dan Williams about his time at the club, along with summer spending plans and his view on the Chinese Super League.

The German had a successful coaching career in his native country, where he led Dortmund to two Bundesliga titles. He is expected to bring similar success to Liverpool.

Klopp is calling on his players to realize their potential this season and claim Champions League qualification by finishing in the top four of the EPL. And he is enjoying his work on Merseyside.

“Exciting. Intense. Good. I enjoy it actually. Of course, when I first walked through the door (of Liverpool), I had a kind of an idea of how it will be. Now I know so much more. And in a lot of cases, it is better than I could have imagined. In a few cases, it is worse than I could have imagined. That is how it is. But all good so far. I enjoy it a lot,” Klopp told CGTN.

On the likelihood of his team qualifying for next season’s Champion’s League, Klopp was positive.

“Yes. That is how our business is. You need to prove the progress. Yes, it would be the best way to do it. But people, if they want, if they don’t just look on the final position in the table, then they will see we are in a good way and that we have a good team.” Klopp told CGTN.

Klopp also indicated that he wants to add to the team during the summer transfer window.

“OK - if you get international, we will need a bigger squad. That is for sure. We had the squad that was absolutely OK, but then we had a few injuries that we could not know about that did not help. It never helps. And we struggled a little bit of course.

‍“January and February were more intense for us than it should have been. We learned already from this but with international football, we will have to bring players in. That is what we will do 100 percent. We have good ideas. And we have big support from our owners so it is all in a flow. It is all in a progress.

“Nothing finalized of course and first we have to finish this season as good as possible. Then we will see. But I have always preferred players in my life who don’t want to sit in a running train, I always prefer players who push the train. These are the players we need and I think we will find a few of them.” 

Klopp also shared his views on the popularity of the EPL in China.

“I see a lot after the game, when I go to my car, I sign a few pictures and a few scarves, actually a lot of Chinese people. And it is nice to see that enthusiasm. That is really cool. Obviously a big love for Liverpool. It is obviously a big country. And obviously the interest is getting bigger and bigger. Building their own league now with all of these players, big name players from all over the world. Yes, the interest is big but I think it will take a few years before their own clubs can catch the interest from clubs from other countries because that is the history,” Klopp told CGTN.

Finally, the German coach gave some words of advice on China’s football development.

“Patience. Development does not work overnight. That is 100 percent true. That is a big problem on the other side as everyone who invests a lot of money wants to see progress as quick as possible. With the youth development, that will take four or five years. Who wants to wait for four or five years? That is the biggest challenge for all the people who start something new. That is the same with the Chinese league," Klopp said.

“But I think we all do enough that they have enough excitement and joy and the league in China will get bigger. And there are a lot of China players around who could be a real footballer. But for this you need time. They started a few years ago. In a few years, you will have the result."