Klopp: Top French players too expensive for Liverpool

Liverpool cannot afford to sign leading French stars like Kylian Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann, according to manager Jurgen Klopp.

Premier League leaders Liverpool have no French players in their first-team squad despite Les Bleus having won last year's World Cup.

Mamadou Sakho left for Crystal Palace on a permanent basis in August 2017 and none of his compatriots have moved to Anfield amid Liverpool's rise.

"There's no reason for it," Klopp told Canal Football Club.

"Kylian plays for PSG, Griezmann joined Barcelona. Obviously you know how good your [national] team is.

"We would like a French player but some of them are too expensive for us."

Liverpool will have a new addition to their squad when the transfer window opens on January 1 after agreeing a deal to sign Japanese winger Takumi Minamino from Salzburg.

Klopp's men won the Champions League last season and claimed the Club World Cup with a 1-0 extra-time victory over Flamengo in Saturday's final in Doha.

Their next assignment is a key Premier League clash with Leicester City at King Power Stadium on Boxing Day.