Liverpool has made headlines this summer with one of the Premier League’s most eye-watering transfer windows.
After lifting the league title last season, the Reds invested a staggering £450million in eight new players, including record-breaking deals for Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen (£110m) and Alexander Isak from Newcastle (£125m).
While the club’s ambitions are clear—pushing to finally secure a long-awaited Champions League triumph—their spending spree hasn’t gone unnoticed.
Some pundits, often seen supporting rival teams, have been quick to criticise Liverpool for their heavy outlay.
Arne Slot Responds to Critics
Liverpool manager Arne Slot hit back at the naysayers ahead of the Reds’ Champions League opener against Atletico Madrid at Anfield.
He dismissed the criticism about the £450million figure, pointing out that the club has recouped £300million from player sales this summer.
Slot said, “Yes, we spent £450m, but people forget about what we made from selling players.
If we sold someone like Dominik Szoboszlai tomorrow, he’d be worth £100m as well.
Spending this kind of money to strengthen the squad is normal for a club with our ambitions.”
He went on to stress that the criticism is almost a compliment, reflecting the quality of the players Liverpool brought in.
“We did great business, brought in top players, and importantly, we’ve lowered the squad’s average age,” Slot explained.
Investing in Youth Over Experience
Slot emphasized that Liverpool’s strategy is long-term.
“Some teams prefer to buy 27-year-olds because they are ready now,” he said. “We focused on players aged 21 or 22.
If they stay with us for four or five years, we can generate big value, like selling someone for £65m when they’re still young.
That wouldn’t be possible with a 32-year-old.”
The Dutch boss also highlighted that Liverpool’s financial power comes from their own success, including winning the Premier League and generating income from player sales, rather than relying on outside investment.
Alexander Isak Could Make Champions League Debut
Slot confirmed that £125m signing Alexander Isak will be in the matchday squad for Wednesday’s clash against Atletico Madrid, although he admitted the striker isn’t fully match-fit yet.
“He’s part of the squad, and his debut could happen tomorrow,” Slot said.
“He definitely won’t play 90 minutes straight away, but once he’s fully fit, he can start contributing regularly and scoring goals, just like last season.”
Liverpool’s Impressive Start to the Season
The Reds have made a strong start in the Premier League, winning all four of their opening games.
Slot now looks forward to the Merseyside derby on Saturday against Everton, hoping to maintain momentum before the international break.