LIVERPOOL TRANSFER STRATEGY EXPLAINED AS REDS CHIEFS AGREE ON MIDFIELD TARGET

This window was not a spending spree by Liverpool but the club are confident that wasn’t needed.

Many thought with a new manager and a revamped sporting department it might have been a summer of splashing the cash for the Reds. But, instead, it was one of cutting the squad size down and giving Arne Slot just Federico Chiesa to strengthen the team which finished third last season and won the Carabao Cup under Jurgen Klopp.

The £10m - rising to £12.5m - capture of Chiesa from Juventus was what Liverpool were in the market for. An opportunistic signing at relatively low cost with the arrival of the 26-year-old Italian winger adding to their attacking options.

They were prepared to fork out bigger on Martin Zubimendi but the midfielder opted to stay at Real Sociedad. As they insisted at the time, the Reds did not just go out and buy a second or third choice No.6.

They did sign a goalkeeper in Giorgi Mamardashvili from Valencia for £25m but he won’t arrive at the club until next summer, with the hope one day he will be Alisson Becker’s successor. There is a feeling among the fanbase that a defensive midfielder and additions in defence were crucial to challenge Manchester city this season but the experts behind the scenes are confident that is not the case.

So what about the other way. Fabio Carvalho was the biggest sale of the summer in a deal rising to £27.5m to Brentford. Liverpool signed the Portugal forward in 2022 to much fanfare thinking it was a major coup at just £5m. They’ve made a significant profit but he’s not turned out to be the first-team star they believed he could be.

Carvalho, 22, is a fine technician but maybe lacking the burst of pace needed to shine at a top club like the Reds. He has had loan spells at RB Leipzig and Hull, the latter where he impressed but Brentford feels like more of his level.

Sepp van den Berg, now 22, departs after five years at Liverpool without ever making a Premier League appearance.

The fact they’ve managed to get £25m from Brentford for the Dutch centre-back is remarkable.

Now he’s had loan spells in the Championship with Preston and abroad but was never really thought of as being able to step up this season to become a regular member of the first-team squad. Liverpool would not budge on their valuation - which at times irked the player - but they got the money they wanted in the end.

Bobby Clark - son of Lee - burst onto the scene last season and there was high expectations for him among Reds fans so it was a surprise to see the club agree a £10m fee with Red Bull Salzburg. But the chance to link up with former assistant Pep Lijnders and the lack of game time going to be available under Slot, ensured the move made sense for all parties.

Billy Koumetio moved to Dundee earlier this month. He spent six years with the Reds after joining from Orleans FC but made just two appearances for the first-team. Harvey Blair, 20, going to Portsmouth permanently was the other move as the Reds decided that the youngster was not going to cut it at the top level with them with limited first-team exposure.

Liverpool have been busy in the loan market to get some players experience. The biggest one is Stefan Bajcetic. Many Kop fans expected the Spain midfielder to feature for the first team this season after an encouraging beginning in the 22/23 season before a serious abductor injury took hold of the teenager.

He missed the last campaign under Jurgen Klopp and it is now been decided that he needs regular first-team minutes rather than the odd appearance this term so has headed out to reunite with Lijnders at Salzburg. Barcelona made a late attempt for a loan move but were thwarted by financial constraints.

Ben Doak has headed off to Middlesbrough. The Scot wants regular game time as he has international ambitions now at senior level. Some permanent moves were explored but it was decided on a loan. While Kaide Gordon will join him in the Championship at Norwich City as after overcoming injury issues like Bajcetic, he needs minutes.

There will be a lot of Reds in the Championship. Lewis Koumas is at Stoke while defender Owen Beck is at Blackburn for the season and Calvin Ramsey and Luke Chambers are both at Wigan. Liverpool have certainly ensured fringe players will get minutes to aid their development but also test if they can step up into the first team next term.

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2024-08-31T06:11:18Z dg43tfdfdgfd