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.

Liverpool'un İşe Alım Stratejisi

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.

O yılın Temmuz ayının sonuna kadar yeni transfer yapmamalarına rağmen, bir sonraki sezon Premier Lig'i kazanarak "transfer dönemini kazanmanın" her zaman saha içi başarı anlamına gelmediğinin altını çizdiler.

Gecikmenin Nedenleri

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.

Liverpool 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.

Rakiplerle Karşılaştırmalar

Liverpool'un rakipleri piyasada aktif oldu. Manchester City, Arsenal, Aston Villa, Manchester United, Tottenham ve Chelsea kayda değer transferler yaptı. Ancak bu yeni oyuncuların hızlı entegrasyonu belirsizliğini koruyor, özellikle de United'dan Leny Yoro'da olduğu gibi sakatlıklar bu süreci her zaman yavaşlatabilir.

Mali Durum ve Sürdürülebilirlik

Liverpool'un mali durumu Premier Ligkâr ve sürdürülebilirlik kurallarına (PSR) uyum sağlamıştır. Geçen sezon Şampiyonlar Ligi'nde futbol oynanmamasına rağmen, kulübün ticari gelirleri önemli ölçüde artarak PSR'ye uygunluk sağlandı ve bunun başlıca nedeni yenilenen Anfield Road tribününün tamamen açılması oldu.

Kulübün maaş faturasının gelire oranı da sağlıklı ve son dönemde yüksek kazançlı oyuncuların ayrılması giderleri önemli ölçüde azalttı.

FSG'nin Pazar Yaklaşımı

FSG, riskli harcamalardan kaçınarak Liverpool'u sürdürülebilir bir şekilde yönetmeyi hedefliyor. Geçen sezonki düşüş kadro kalitesinden değil, sakatlıklar ve oyuncu ritmi sorunlarından kaynaklandı. Slot ve Hughes takımın potansiyeli konusunda temkinli ama iyimserler ve iç yetenek gelişimine güveniyorlar.

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.

Sonuç

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.