Gary Neville believes Jurgen Klopp must be supported by Liverpool's owners Fenway Sports Group in the summer transfer window - insisting the Reds boss has shielded the owners from criticism during his tenure at Anfield.
Sitting fifth in the Premier League table, Liverpool face the prospect of missing out on Champions League qualification for the first time in seven years as Manchester United and Newcastle are in pole position to secure a return to UEFA's premier competition - with title chasers Arsenal and Manchester City having already secured a top-two finish.
The Magpies are currently in third place in the Premier League after a remarkable campaign which looks set to end with the Eddie Howe ending the club's 21-year exile from the Champions League. It comes less than two years after a Saudi-led consortium purchased the club from Mike Ashley.
READ MORE: Liverpool could qualify for Champions League thanks to Man United - but what has to happen next
READ MORE: Arthur Melo speaks out on Jurgen Klopp treatment and confirms Liverpool future
Therefore the financial clout of the St James' Park outfit - which will only increase with a return to European competition - coupled with talks of the Glazer family selling a stake in Manchester United in the near future, means competition for places at the top end of the Premier League is set to become more fierce than ever. Which Neville believes must prompt FSG chiefs to up their investment in the playing staff this summer.
“Jurgen Klopp has to be supported," said Gary Neville speaking on the latest episode of the Gary Neville podcast. "He was supported a number of years ago when they fell short [of the league] and pushed themselves in the transfer market. They’re going to have to go there again this summer because other teams are going to invest.
“Jurgen Klopp’s strength over the last six or seven years has been in the quality of his football but also the strength of recruitment. He has been able to get the most out of players that haven’t cost stupid amounts, Van Dijk and Allison aside and Nunez of course is the one he needs to get the most out of next season.
“But you look at those £30, £40m signings of Jota, Salah, Mane, Robertson, they have been absolutely outstanding. They will have to do a bit of that, but they will also have to put down some serious money on a couple of players.”
Neville's comments come just weeks after the Reds decided against spending the bulk of their summer budget on long-term target Jude Bellingham, with Anfield officials instead taking a more strategic route to a major midfield overhaul.
A move for the Borussia Dortmund and England superstar was forecasted to cost at least £130m, with agent's fees and the player's wages set to significantly add to that total. Liverpool's current club-record signing is the £75m they paid Southampton for Virgil van Dijk in January 2018. However, should all of Darwin Nunez's add-ons be met, the Reds will be made to shell out a further £21m to the £64m they settled with Benfica last summer.
Away from Bellingham, Alexis Mac Allister and Mason Mount are two midfielders who are currently being monitored by those on Merseyside, while Sporting CP's Manuel Ugarte, Chelsea's Conor Gallagher and Ajax's Ryan Gravenberch have also been linked with moves to Anfield.
Neville added: “Jurgen Klopp has shielded FSG in terms of net spend over the years. Yes, they’ve been smart and it's what Sir Alex Ferguson did for the Glazers, where Sir Alex would say there was no value in the market and Klopp has been quite prudent and pragmatic and he’s not panicked, and they’ve waited for players which is the right way to do it you always want to be measured.
“I don’t think Jurgen would go out there and be reckless in the transfer market but there comes a point where if he wants a player they’re going to have to put down the money and it is going to cost them significantly to get back to where he wants to be… He deserves that.”
READ NEXT
What Liverpool fans sang at Anfield as national anthem was drowned out by boos
'That's quite rare' - Virgil van Dijk makes Liverpool training ground admission about Mohamed Salah
Rio Ferdinand makes blunt Man United claim that will give Liverpool more Champions League hope
Liverpool next fixtures compared to Man United and Newcastle after double Champions League boost
Change Jurgen Klopp did not see coming could unleash Liverpool title challenge next season
