I don't know anything about Sterling's story but I know about similar stories... We have to try to become a club that nobody wants to leave. That is ultimately what we have to do,"Jurgen Klopp,
Liverpool manager
AGENCIES
LONDON
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp wants to build the club into a place no player wants to leave ahead of a reunion with former forward Raheem Sterling.
Sterling pushed through a controversial £49million move to Manchester City during the off-season, infuriating Liverpool fans in the process. The 20-year-old England international faces Liverpool for the first time at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday and Klopp understands the frustration among fans.
"I don't know anything about Sterling's story but I know about similar stories," he explained. "We have to try to become a club that nobody wants to leave. That is ultimately what we have to do.
"And it's possible. It is a long, long journey. But we have started it and it is possible."
Bayern Munich regularly pinched Klopp's stars during his tenure at Borussia Dortmund, with the likes of Robert Lewandowski and Mario Gotze making the move to Bavaria. However, Klopp believes spending big does not guarantee success.
"Financially, no-one could compete with Bayern Munich, but on the pitch of course we could compete," he said. "That's what I love most about football. It's not important what you spend, it's not important who you are, it's only important what you want to do.
"So yes of course we can play against City; of course we can beat them. We beat them with Dortmund and drew in Manchester. They had more money but that's not what's important... Money is only one part of success. The rest is work."
