Are Liverpool being left behind by busy rivals?

Liverpool have been rejected by Real Sociedad midfielder Martín Zubimendi, with a supposed £60million move breaking down in the last few days. So, why has turned down a move to Anfield under new manager Arne Slot, and is there at risk of being left behind by their busy rivals in the transfer market?

Ayo Akinwolere is joined by The Athletic's Phil Hay and Simon Hughes to discuss

00:00 Intro
00:21 Liverpool transfers
05:22 Who Liverpool fans have lost out on
10:58 Signing future players
17:20 Football operations at Liverpool and player contracts
27:44 Arne Slot as Liverpool’s new manager
38:22 How much time do you give a head coach?
41:36 Outro

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#liverpool #transfers #premierleague

[ekamroopsinghchaggar]

When we didn't get Gotze, we got Mane.
When we didn't get Brandt, we got Salah.
When we didn't get Zielinksi, we got Wijnaldum.
Previously, when we missed out on targets, we signed top alternatives. Now, we "wait for the right man" because of the Van Dijk saga 7 years ago.

[stevendchu]

For me this all goes back to the summer of 2021.

Lost Gini Wijnaldum on a free. Thought that the injury prone Thiago could replace his minutes. Didn't sell Naby the cripple Keita or Chamberlain, who was never the same after the horrific knee injury.

The quadruple chase led to Fabinho and Henderson being run into the ground and their legs went early. Even last season, it was clear by the end that both Endo and Alexis were exhausted, which is why we kept conceding first and had matches that went back and forth like basketball.

Great teams add from a position of strength, not when there already is a major hole and you are desperate to spend $$$$.

[gylduran]

What pisses me off is the gaslighting from the club that there isn't a SINGLE player in world football other than Zubimendi who would improve us. That is utter nonsense 🤣The data analytics team can't find any alternatives??? Fire them all because that is unacceptable.

[undergradtutors]

Why do liverpool journalists struggle with being direct and answering the difficult questions directly?

[juliantsenkov]

It's very disappointing that Slot had only one wish - a number 6 and the board failed to provide him a number 6. Being let down since the start

[MadLFC]

Heard the same crap from the media last season when their midfield was being rebuilt. Chelsea and United always look the part, spend loads and achieve little in the end. Same again this season. Liverpool already have a really good balanced squad and any additions are just small improvements.

[Prepper-gosr]

Maybe people will realise that Klopp made Edwards look sensational not the other way on.

[syafiqabu]

I think slot is being fair by giving chance to most of the player to prove themself if they are suit with his tactic before buying someone to replace them

[Camden]

Gravenberch made it not matter. Move it on

[dude]

Fsg acting a lot like Kroenkes under Wenger, .happy as long as the CL money comes in.

[papamurrth]

Why does no one talk about Gravenberch? Hes a top midfield, theres only 3 slots. 2 of those are taken the Szobszlai and MacAllister as the more advanced player. There's cover for those 2 in the form of Jones and Elliott. Gravenberch and Endo are 2 players left for the deeper lying player. And again, Jones can cover.

There is also Batjetic that plays that role. There is no reason to panic.

[blankn]

Wait so now we're blaming Klopp for his appointment of SCHMADTKE is the reason we haven't re-signed our folks? This has nothing to do with power of Klopp. There is an owner and a Director of Football Operations. If they want their new Captain and co-captain to sign a new deal then it happens. What is Hughes' issue is the pathetic attempt to strengthen the squad now. Getting in quality and reinforcements do matter. They also matter to current players (like Virg, Salah and Trent) who are thinking on whether the club continues to have aspirations. Man U just got Fernandes resigned and Chelsea resigned Palmer. It's very understanding that players want to know that their club wants more.

[BigMujK]

If slot wants to implement a formation or system irrespective of the players available…it’s not a good sign, he needs to be adaptive and have a system to player strengths

[mikelfc]

Simon, every club knew we needed a 6 for years, that is nonesense about us getting priced out! We will always be priced out for that position! We only go for realise clauses, because we are cheap!!!

[etronicw]

The fact we've not signed anyone to date BUT our rivals have signed quality and improved their squad. Hughes is out of his depth!!!

[JR-sjjz]

So the PR begins in blaming Zubimendi. Edwards and Ward were part of the backroom staff that tried to sign Tchouameni, failed and opted to not look at an option B. They ended up panicking by getting Melo and the midfield collapsed.

This is now the 3rd summer since that failed signing, and Ward and Edwards are back at Liverpool. And they have tried to do the same thing again. Its like they didn't learn from the Tchouameni situation. Also did they not see what happened with Lavia and Caicedo. Why wait till August? By waiting so long, you have put yourself in a bad spot if the deal collapses. And many Liverpool based journalists seem to be hesitant to ask FSG or Edwards tough questions maybe because they fear losing some of that privileged access they have to the club.

It's inexcusable for any club, big or small to go 3 summers in a row failing to sign a player in a position that a club calls key. Inexcusable.

[TheInternationalist]

Unreal that a new manager succeeding someone like Klopp, comes in only to lose players and bring in no replacements. If you’re too cheap to invest in your club, just sell it.

[redmed]

30:40 sounds good. We always seemed to drop our levels when we went 1 or 2 up and allowed teams back into games. Killing a game after you go in the lead sounds better to me.
If slot can get nunez firing and putting away even half of his chances it will immediately improve liverpool. If nunez gets going he's going to scare the life out of defenders and by that other teams.

[Qlicky]

I've read a lot about Zubimendi on different chenels/site.
He just seems like a player that doesn't want to move abroad. Irrespective of the club asking.

[williamcummings]

His boyhood club offered him a better deal and begged him to stay, pointing out they could potentially lose him, Merino and the other player sold, in the one window. It's hardly a mystery that requires him to come out and reveal what happened.