Liverpool have received a financial boost after they sold the third-highest number of shirts in 2021 which FSG could use to invest into a squad that needs freshening up.
By now, supporters are well aware of the fact that under Fenway Sports Group, Liverpool aren’t going to match their rivals transfer spending or their ability to commit to huge wage packages for every player.
In fact, there is a distinct possibility that as every day passes and Mohamed Salah goes another day without hearing good news about his contract talks with the Reds, the no.11 could leave the club for free when his contract expires or he could even be sold at the end of the season.
Now, that’s unthinkable but the Reds wouldn’t be anywhere near as competitive as they are now without him and that’s on the pitch and in the board room where his global brand appeal is making Liverpool millions.
Of course, Jurgen Klopp’s squad is filled with other players that drive kit sales as well but there is no denying that Salah is the best and most global star at Liverpool but FSG are refusing to match his £400,000/week wage demands.
Only Cristiano Ronaldo is paid more in the Premier League but you’d be hard-pressed to find a player more deserving of earning the highest wages than one of the most humble players in the division that has scored the most goals since his return from Italy.
According to Euromerica Sports Marketing group (via Football Transfers), Liverpool sold the third-highest amount of shirts in 2021 with 2.45m sold while Real Madrid and Bayern Munich outsold them with 3.05m and 3.25m respectively.
Liverpool’s recent success under Klopp and the kit deal with Nike also likely contributed a great deal to the Reds’ commercial success in 2021 but players like Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Sadio Mane play a key role in selling football kits.
Which is why the lack of recent investment into the squad is criminal.
I understand that the owners want Liverpool to be self-sufficient without a need for cash injection in order to complete transfers.
That said, there has been such a lack of signings over the last several transfer windows that it seems highly unlikely that the Reds are unable to afford the reinforcements that Klopp requires.
Dejan Lovren wasn’t replaced in 2020 and last year Georginio Wijnaldum was allowed to leave without a new midfielder being signed to take his place and this has already cost Liverpool several points in the Premier League.
It’s time for FSG to take a more proactive approach to having Jurgen Klopp’s back against the club’s rivals in the transfer market to give Liverpool the best chance of on-field success which will, in turn, lend to commercial and board room triumph.
Three local journalists have recently reported that Liverpool are more likely to go big this summer than they have been in recent seasons and hopefully ranking highly for global shirt sales can help in that regard.