The real reason for Liverpool’s delay on making new signings has nothing to do with the availability of funds, according to David Lynch.
From the outside looking in, things can look binary to a supporter.
If a club isn’t buying a player, it has to be because they’re broke or because the owners refuse to loosen the proverbial purse strings.
But in the modern Premier League game when there are so many factors that come into play during the transfer window, it’s almost always not what it seems.
WOLVERHAMPTON, ENGLAND – MARCH 15: Diogo Jota (R) of Liverpool celebrates with team mates Sadio Mane and Thiago after scoring their side’s first goal during the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Liverpool at Molineux on March 15, 2021 in Wolverhampton, England. Sporting stadiums around the UK remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)
This doesn’t fly well on social media where progress unseen is progress unmade.
It’s particularly confusing with regards to a batch of Liverpool supporters who will be the quickest to call Michael Edwards a genius but simultaneously the least likely to give him the time needed to work his magic.
The transfer window is both a sprint and a race and as it lasts over two months, there is a lot that goes on between its open on June 9th and its close on August 31st.
Speaking on the Blood Red Podcast, David Lynch has suggested that the real reason for Liverpool stalling on making their next signing has nothing to do with lack of funds.
He said: “There’s a degree of panic set in among twitchy supporters about the fact that Konate wasn’t followed in by three or four more signings.
Konate will wear the no.5 jersey for Liverpool, following in Georginio Wijnaldum’s footsteps. (Photo by John Powell/Liverpool FC)
“We saw this exact last thing happen last year. There was one at the start [of the summer]. It was Tsimikas and then Jota and Thiago came in together toward the end of the window.
“It’s a case of seeing where the opportunities are. I’m sure they’re ready to pull the trigger on a couple [of signings] but it’s just a case of knowing what the squad is going to look like later in the window.
“Too much gets made of the idea that they need to generate funds through sales. I don’t think that’s necessarily the case.
“It’s a case of knowing what the squad looks like for those spots for foreign players.”
It’s reassuring to hear from a journalist with close ties to the club that Liverpool are not broke and it does mean that things could move quite quickly if Michael Edwards is able to fast track exits for two or three players.
GRANADA, SPAIN – DECEMBER 3: Donyell Malen of PSV celebrates 0-1 during the UEFA Europa League match between Granada v PSV at the Estadio Nuevo Los Carmenes on December 3, 2020 in Granada Spain. (Photo by Photo Prestige/Soccrates/Getty Images)
Liverpool’s plans to bring in new players really could snowball if the sporting director is able to move on the likes of Xherdan Shaqiri, Taiwo Awoniyi, Marko Grujic and Divock Origi.
Their exits would free up multiple non-homegrown player slots in Liverpool’s squad for the Premier League, with each side allowed a maximum of 17 non-homegrown players in a squad of 25.
Moves to sign the likes of Saul and Donyell Malen are unable to go through unless Liverpool want to exclude players from matchday squads week by week and given that Jurgen Klopp likes a small squad that seems unlikely.
The Reds have a verbal agreement with Donyell Malen over personal terms and if they can sell a player to make room for him in the squad, we could soon see him move to Anfield.
