Jurgen Klopp has become frustrated by Liverpool's inability to sign any of their targets during the January transfer window.

Liverpool has struggled to begin 2017.

Despite interest in Mahmoud Dahoud of Borussia Mönchengladbach and the Borussia Dortmund winger Christian Pulisic, Klopp does not expect to make significant signings this month, although he says it is not for the want of trying. Liverpool’s main business before the transfer deadline could be to offload Mamadou Sakho, who is a target for several Premier League clubs but is proving difficult to move on.

The Liverpool manager said: “I understand it is absolutely normal that people ask whether we should have brought players in. The situation is yes, on the one side pretty simple, but on the other hand it is pretty difficult. It is not that we don’t want to bring players in. We do. But the thing is, the players we want because we think they help us, the clubs don’t sell. It is not about money in this situation, it is the winter transfer window.

“Clubs are saying ‘No, we have half a year to go, we cannot find another player like this, we prefer to take money in the summer than a few pounds more in the winter than whatever’. So it is pretty easy. You see the situation. It’s tight, it’s close, we know that, but if the right decision is not possible in signing the right player then you cannot make the wrong transfer.

“It is not as if there are 20 players out there who could make this team stronger, who are running around and are available. That is the situation. That is why I say we know the situation, we are prepared to move, but for the right player. We are not the only side who can decide the outcome of that, though, are we? The selling club makes the decision too.”