Fans were expecting a lot this summer, when Liverpool splashed around £449 million on transfer deals. In the transfer window, there was a lot of optimism that the team would be much better this season.
Last year, Arne Slot had just one permanent signing involved in the first team in Federico Chiesa. But he managed to make it work, and guided the Reds to a Premier League title.
The fear was that like with Klopp, the Dutch coach would not be backed which could cause problems in his second season. But that was not the case as club chiefs gave the greenlight for a huge spending spree.
Arne Slot stance on Liverpool summer transfers revealed
Over £440 million was spent to bolster key areas of the squad. Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez came in at fullback, while the attack was elevated with the signings of Alexander Isak, Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz.
| Player Name | Transfer Fee (£) |
|---|---|
| Alexander Isak | 125,000,000 |
| Florian Wirtz | 116,000,000 |
| Hugo Ekitike | 79,000,000 |
| Milos Kerkez | 40,000,000 |
| Jeremie Frimpong | 29,500,000 |
| Giorgi Mamardashvili | 29,000,000 |
| Giovanni Leoni | 26,000,000 |
| Armin Pecsi | 1,500,000 |
| Will Wright | 200,000 |
| Freddie Woodman | Free Transfer |
In that same summer window, the Reds had to let some players go. Luis Diaz and Jarrell Quansah were among the main departures, while Harvey Elliott was allowed to leave on a loan deal.
After a shocking run of form over the past month, some have now questioned the quality of Liverpool’s transfers. Former Reds star Stephen Warnock has said that Arne Slot has revealed his true feelings over his options in the midweek loss to Crystal Palace.
According to Warnock, Slot is not happy with the current depth in the Liverpool team.
How have the summer signings fared so far?
The only player who can hold his head up high this season is Hugo Ekitike – he has been a star in almost every game he has played in, and has been great in front of goal. Florian Wirtz seems to be adapting to the style in England, but has shown signs of being a good player.
Outside these main two, the other summer signings have a lot to prove between now and the end of the season. Alexander Isak is yet to prove his price tag, and Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez look to be shadows of themselves after fantastic seasons at Leverkusen and Bournemouth respectively.
