Arne Slot Offers Two Reasons Why Criticism of Liverpool’s Record Transfer Spend Is Unfair
Liverpool manager Arne Slot has urged those poking fun at the club’s record-breaking transfer spend in the summer to consider the bigger picture before reaching a judgment.
The Reds spent the best part of £450 million ($606.5 million)—the largest spend by one club in a single transfer window—and broke the Premier League transfer record twice to recruit Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitiké, Milos Kerkez, Jeremie Frimpong and Giovanni Leoni, while goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili completed a £29 million move which had been agreed the previous year.
Liverpool, as reigning Premier League champions, were looking to cement themselves as Europe’s top team this season but have fallen well short of expectations and are fighting to qualify for the Champions League. Many have taunted Slot’s side for what has been perceived as a “waste” of money during the summer.
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Slot: Don’t Forget Expensive Sales
While Liverpool may have spent more money than any club ever, Slot was keen to remind his critics that, in terms of net spend, things were nowhere near as severe.
Indeed, Liverpool offloaded Luis Díaz, Darwin Núñez, Jarell Quansah, Ben Gannon-Doak, Caoimhín Kelleher, Tyler Morton and Nat Phillips for significant sums, with a further £10 million added from the premature departure of Trent Alexander-Arnold to Real Madrid.
“I have tried 450 times to say we also sold £300 million, that never comes across and people never talk about it,” Slot stressed.
“In general I only ever see, ‘£450 million spent, 450, 450, 450.’ And no one looks at the circumstances, which are that the 450 is very well spent … very, very, very well spent. One more time: very well spent.
“They are great football players which will be a big, big, big success for this club. Some already now and some in the future. The reality of this season is we sold for £300 million, some starters like Trent sold for only £10 million.”
Injuries Limiting Liverpool’s Expensive Stars
Slot warned those turning on Liverpool’s summer recruits should show more patience before reaching snap judgments over players who, through no fault of their own, have failed to build momentum in their debut seasons.
“Alex [Isak] has not been the Alex of Newcastle, maybe 20 minutes at Tottenham,” Slot claimed. “I don’t criticize him because we signed him for six years, not six months.
“Giorgi [Mamardashvili], we needed him because Caoimh [Kelleher] left but we hardly played with two goalkeepers! Jeremie [Frimpong] has been injured, Giovanni [Leoni] out for the season.
“[Against West Ham United on Saturday] I miss out on Florian [Wirtz].”
Wirtz’s injury comes as an enormous blow, just as he was finding his feet in English soccer, but the injury news is not all bad as Frimpong is back available after a spell out injured. The right back could make just his seventh start of the season on Saturday but is more likely to start on the bench after a month out with a hamstring problem.
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