Jurgen Klopp admits the cost of Virgil van Dijk’s move to Liverpool ‘is not nice’.
Van Dijk finally secured a long-awaited move to Anfield earlier this week after the Reds agreed a £75 million deal with Southampton for the centre-back.
The future sees the Holland international become the most expensive defender in world football as well as smashing Liverpool’s previous transfer records.
Klopp has been criticised for the move, with Jose Mourinho attacking him for comments about Paul Pogba joining Manchester United for a then-world record fee.
In 2016, the Liverpool manager said he would not be ‘in a job anymore’ if Pogba’s £89m switch to Old Trafford was a sign of spiralling transfer values.
Klopp admits it was an unpleasant experience in forking out a ten-figure sum for Van Dijk but insists Liverpool were forced to adapt to the market to secure their man.
He said: “I’m surprised about the development in the last two years, there were big steps but the last half year changed everything.
“We cannot change that. Each club is not capable of it (spending big sums) but some are and they will do it in future.
“It’s all about how the market is, the need and opportunity.
“If you want to sign a player the last thing I think about is the price because we are only thinking of the player. When you get a price you have to either accept it or not.
“It’s a big change in football in recent years and we have to adapt to it, that’s how it is.
“It doesn’t mean all transfer will be in this category but it’s the same as it was before.
“Half a year ago it was a big transfer for an offensive player now we have a big transfer for a defensive player.
“It’s not nice but that’s the market, the world and we have to adapt.”