Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has told ESPN FC that attitude and character are two

of the most important characteristics he looks for when recruiting players.

Klopp spent a club-record fee of around £39 million on Mohamed Salah to lure him
away from Roma and brought in highly-rated youngster Dominic Solanke from Chelsea
on a free transfer, while he has also been linked with moves for Virgil van Dijk and RB
Leipzig midfielder Naby Keita.

The German manager sat down with ESPN FC for an exclusive interview at the team's
luxurious Ritz-Carlton Hotel in the Kowloon district of Hong Kong to talk transfers and
Liverpool's hopes for the season ahead.

Q. One theme about Liverpool's signings under your management is that

the new players are lauded for their character and attitude by former
coaches and teammates. How important is that for you in a player?

A. It's outstandingly important because life is always easy in the moment when
everything is right -- the weather is good, family is good -- then you function in your
work too. Staying on track in [difficult] moments is what you need character for -- being
ready to fight in difficult circumstances, ready to fight with enemies in yourselves.

For all people -- not just in football -- it's the most important thing. What I don't like is
too often in life people say: 'That's my character, I cannot change' because most of the
things we can change. You can develop, even in this department. But for me, it's really
important. [Players] need to be good -- very, very good -- but they [need to be] ready to
make the next step and not to stay in the moment they are at this time.

Q. A player who was reported to be really professional and a good influence

was Lucas Leiva, who recently left for Lazio. He played 31 games for
Liverpool last season, so why did he leave?

A. Things change but Lucas is a special case. He asked for it. I would say he's a friend.
He's a fantastic person. How I know and how he knows, he's has a few issues when he's
not playing! But we always had a very respectful understanding. It was really good.
When he left, we both had a little tear in our eye. It was really a special moment.

For the team, it's difficult. It's the age and it's life. He could sign a long-term contract in
Rome and how can I say: 'You stay here, but I don't know if you sign a new contract and
I don't know how often you will play next year'. So you need to be honest, especially with
a player like him.

He loves Liverpool. It's unbelievable. He comes from Brazil -- it's a nice country and the
weather is much better. He could imagine staying in Liverpool for the rest of his life. I
told him that the door is always open for him after his three years and [if] I'm still here,
of course, then we will find a place for him. I'm sure he'll be a fantastic coach or
manager.
Q. Do you only look to sign unique talents rather filling a need in the squad
or, as manager, is it a case of doing both?

A. I hope we do both. That's more what I think. How you can imagine, there are a lot of
players out there and Liverpool is a club who can afford, maybe not all of them, but a lot.
It's very important that we don't go for it and close our eyes and pick and then we start
thinking about where he fits in. It's a long process. It should be both. It's about skills.
Being unique, it's not that -- it's cool but it has to fit into the squad.

That's the thing. It's different departments of this business. He needs to fit from
character, his position. He needs to fit in [about the] greed to be successful or from his
experience of already being successful. There's always something that you miss a little
bit in a team, or you have it but you don't have it often enough, so you go for this. That's
how it works. That's a long way until you finalise a transfer.

Q. Dominic Solanke has joined you from Chelsea because of the lack of first-
team opportunities on offer. What makes Liverpool different to other clubs
competing for honours when it comes to young players?

A. I think it's a little bit of us as a coaching group. We don't hesitate about age, we don't
think about it. It's not the name, it's not the age, it's just the quality. That's the one
thing. Maybe you should ask Dominic. It's a good thing. I know that Chelsea have a lot
of these boys, so it's difficult for them. It's outstanding how they brought them all
together. From the age of 14 or 15, they were already together with [Ruben] Loftus-
Cheek, [Tammy] Abraham, Dominic, Izzy Brown.

For that age group they were unbelievable -- physically strong and football-wise, really
strong. That's really rare. But they cannot all go through at Chelsea. At one point, I think
it makes sense for the player to look for other options and that's what Dominic did. We
were lucky that we could get him.

Q. This summer has seen you work with new CEO Peter Moore and sporting
director Michael Edwards. You made a point about how difficult it was to be
the sole face of the club. Has the restructure at the club allowed you to focus
more on football?

A. It didn't change too much. That should not sound bad or something. With Michael
Edwards, I worked together him with already. When Ian [Ayre] was still here, Michael
Edwards did the job of course. Peter Moore is in now. He's a really nice, smart person --
very experienced in business. But it's still very fresh, I would say. [He's not] too long in,
but we need him and it's very useful that he's in because there a lot of things to do --
represent the club in different meetings. I feel fine with the situation. That's all good,
but it doesn't feel too different. Before, it was already good.

Q. What's your relationship like with Michael Edwards? I get the

impression you're very hands on with everything...
A. It's very close, how you can imagine. Of course, I'm involved. In England, because our
owners are in America, I have the final say. That's how it is. I can only decide about the
money I want or whatever -- that is not the case, of course. I like the partnership with
Michael, I like it. I know I'm responsible for all the things that work or not work, but I
really think he's a fantastic partner to do this kind of business.