Have Liverpool Wasted Their Summer?

Liverpool have only welcomed a single new face at Anfield this summer, in the form of Federico Chiesa, Juventus’ former winger. He is one of two transfers completed by the Reds during the recent window, with the other being Valencia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili, who was loaned straight back to the Spanish club for the current season.

The first three Premier League matchdays have brought three victories for Liverpool, but they went on to lose to Nottingham Forest this past weekend in a limp performance. This game was the first in a series of seven outings in only 22 days, which will be a brutal introduction for Arne Slot to the rigours of English football.

So was Liverpool’s summer transfer activity too little for a successful 2024/25? Or is this just a minor blip? Let’s have a look at the reasons why Slot’s team have been so shy on the market.

리버풀의 채용 전략

Liverpool’s approach was unusual, especially after a managerial change. Having not signed any players until the last week of the window, the last time the club went this long without new signings was in 2019, after their Champions League win.

그해 7월 말까지 새로운 선수 영입이 없었음에도 불구하고 다음 시즌 프리미어리그 우승을 차지하며 '이적 시장에서의 승리'가 항상 경기장에서의 성공으로 이어지는 것은 아님을 강조했습니다.

지연 이유

Slot prioritised assessing the current squad before making new signings. New sporting director Richard Hughes also mentioned the impact of the recent European Championship and Copa America on transfer timings, predicting a busier August. This did not exactly come to pass, given that only two deals were struck before the window slammed shut.

리버풀 also didn’t exactly face significant gaps needing immediate attention. Injuries to Joel Matip and Thiago last season saw them already replaced internally by players like Jarell Quansah and Vitezslav Jaros.

The focus this past summer could have been on securing an elite holding midfielder, another centre-back, and a wide attacker, though Slot is keen on developing academy talent. The signing of Mamardashvili was made with the future in mind, since Alisson is still arguably the world’s best goalie, while Chiesa is rather a Salah back-up for the right wing.

경쟁사와의 비교

리버풀의 라이벌들이 이적 시장에서 활발히 움직이고 있습니다. 맨체스터 시티, 아스널, 아스톤 빌라, 맨체스터 유나이티드, 토트넘, 첼시 등이 주목할 만한 선수 영입에 나섰습니다. 하지만 맨유의 레니 요로의 경우처럼 부상으로 인해 팀 적응이 늦어질 수 있기 때문에 새로운 선수들의 빠른 적응은 여전히 불확실합니다.

재무 상태 및 지속 가능성

리버풀은 재정적으로 안정적입니다. 프리미어 리그의 수익 및 지속가능성 규정(PSR)을 준수했습니다. 지난 시즌 챔피언스리그 경기가 없었음에도 불구하고 클럽의 상업적 수익이 크게 증가하여 PSR을 준수할 수 있었던 것은 새로 리노베이션한 안필드 로드 스탠드의 전면 개장 덕분이었습니다.

구단의 수입 대비 임금 청구서 비율도 건전하며, 최근 고소득 선수들의 이탈로 지출이 크게 줄었습니다.

FSG의 시장 접근 방식

FSG는 위험한 지출을 피하면서 리버풀을 지속 가능한 방식으로 운영하는 것을 목표로 합니다. 지난 시즌의 부진은 선수단의 기량이 아닌 부상과 선수들의 리듬 문제 때문이었습니다. 슬롯과 휴즈는 조심스럽지만 팀의 잠재력을 낙관하며 내부 인재 육성에 의존하고 있습니다.

Besides, strides have been made in offloading fringe players such as Fabio Carvalho and Sepp van den Berg (both to Brentford) for significant amounts, especially considering that they were not exactly viewed as first team quality players at Anfield. Other youngsters were sent out on loans, with Stefan Bajcetic reuniting with Klopp’s former assistant manager Pep Lijnders, now head coach at RB Salzburg, while Ben Doak went down a division, joining Middlesbrough in a bid to gain more experience.

결론

While it is true that Liverpool might have left themselves open to disappointment this season, it seems like some foundations are being laid for a more significant transfer window next summer. The Reds’ hierarchy has always prioritised sustainability in the way the club is run and the past summer reflects that once again.

However, it must be said that most Liverpool fans would have liked to see more fresh faces join the club this season. There is a feeling that a new defensive midfielder would have been a welcome addition, especially since Slot has only given Wataru Endo a single minute to play this season.

The fans will be hoping that their shock defeat against Forest will not be snowballing into a crisis. If it does, everyone will most likely be pointing fingers at their passive approach to the summer transfer window.

Time will tell.