Jurgen Klopp has urged Liverpool to be decisive in summer transfer plans.
The Anfield club face a significant rebuilding period following a season of flux where on-field fortunes have dwindled alongside behind-the-scenes changes.
Owners Fenway Sports Group this week ruled out the possibility of selling the Red, who are on the lookout for their third sporting director in 12 months.
Saturday’s trip to Crystal Palace could see Klopp’s side potentially move to within four points of the final Champions League qualification place.
But the Liverpool manager insists that the club must be proactive in its close-season approach and not wait for the outcome of their top-four ambitions.
“Money has always an impact but it cannot be that much of an impact, let me say it like this,” said Klopp.
“Of course it’s influential, but it is a summer where we have to be in the market, definitely.
“I’m sorry that I cannot guarantee Champions League [qualification] in this moment but we will fight for it.
“It’s not done yet so we don’t need to talk about it as if it’s not possible, but it is tricky, and difficult, and will be a late decision I guess.
“But we have to start doing work earlier before we know where we will end up position-wise and European competition-wise. These things are clear here.”
Despite his takeover claims, FSG chief John Henry is confident of Liverpool still attracting investment – something Klopp also remains ‘optimistic’ about.
The German, however, has cautioned about the danger of his side standing still as some of their Premier League peers strengthen at an alarming rate.
He added: “My job is to make sure that we make 100% clear what we need from a sports point of view and then other people are responsible for giving us the resources or whatever. I have nothing to do with that. How could I?
“We played five years in a row in the Champions League. We went through the final three times in that time which is massive from a money point of view.
“Yes, we built a [new] stand and a training ground so the club is in a really good place but around us obviously a few people are speeding up a little bit. We cannot ignore these kind of things.
“It’s still about finding the right players, not about bringing a lot. Thank God in the world of football there are a lot of right players.
“Not all of them are affordable or want to come and stuff like this but there are a lot of really good players out there and that’s it.
“The only reason I don’t like too much to talk about that now is because there’s a lot of games to play. This team is the basis for all what we do and it was always the basis.
“Even if people are now in a mood like ‘he can go’ and ‘he should go’ – my God, calm down please. Go on YouTube, watch an old video and think ‘That’s what he did there. He threw his heart and soul on the pitch’.
“It doesn’t mean we have to be thankful for the rest of his life but that’s still in there. So let’s make a decision at the end of the season and as long as we are together, let’s support this group together with me with all that we have.
“That’s the only thing I’m asking for to be honest. And then we can talk about everything. We said it plenty of times that we don’t want to talk now every week about potential things what happen in the summer.
“We know what we will do, not exactly what but that we will do and from now on we can talk again about the wonderful football that we play, when we play it.”