Liverpool avoided classic Man Utd transfer error after Martin Zubimendi disappointment
There are many different ways to navigate the transfer market but it is no coincidence that Liverpool and Manchester City were quieter than most expected this summer while Chelsea continued to be extremely loud.
The Reds only signed Federico Chiesa for the current season, while snapping up Giorgi Mamardashvili ahead of 2025. But while there are a couple of risks being taken in certain areas of the team, the reality is that Liverpool is not badly placed.
It was reported by The Athletic this week that new sporting director Richard Hughes has received plenty of plaudits within the industry having entered the job at a challenging time. And while Liverpool should probably have done one or more things in the market, it isn't unreasonable.
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The appointment of Arne Slot looks to have been a good idea, while no one would have predicted that Martin Zubimendi would opt against a transfer having initially offered some encouragement. No big contracts have been agreed yet, but there is still time — that isn't a transfer window job and Hughes has been handed the "big three" to get locked down.
It must be said that Liverpool looks a little light in midfield having allowed Bobby Clark to leave and with only seven players for the three positions. In the defense, the Reds never wanted to lose Joe Gomez but one more body would not have gone amiss even with him staying.
Nevertheless, in time, Liverpool’s summer window could look considerably better than any of its rivals. Micah Richards said this week that Chiesa could be the signing of the summer for such a low price while most sides have spent millions without really improving.
"Look at the minutes that Jadon Sancho has played for Manchester United since signing for them," former Liverpool director of research Ian Graham tells Liverpool.com.
"If you invest that amount of money, is it a good investment if they are not going to be on the pitch? That was the principle that we worked from and it served us quite well. I can understand the rumors and opinion and we "lost" every transfer window between 2016 and 2022 but the team did alright on the pitch."
Manchester United is a good example to demonstrate why the Liverpool approach, while it can backfire or be frustrating at times, is much more sensible. The Old Trafford side has more money to waste — but has certainly done a good job of that enough times.
This summer, for instance, Erik ten Hag has spent a grand total of $288m (£219m/€259m) on new signings, but his team is still playing the same soccer that it was previously. The same flaws are still evident with Casemiro being the most obvious transfer mistake given the finances behind that move.
Still with two years remaining on his contract, the $92m (£70m/€83m) midfielder, who earns around $394k (£300k/€355k) per week, was hooked at half-time in the defeat to Liverpool. He was only signed because Ten Hag couldn’t get Frenkie de Jong — a completely different type of number six — in a move that Liverpool has refused to repeat.
Unless Saudi Arabia can offer enough money to tempt Casemiro into leaving Manchester United, he is going to be the latest expensive gamble to backfire. Real Madrid, Casemiro’s former club, couldn’t believe its luck when it cashed in for such a steep fee.
Liverpool has taken a major risk in a different way by not signing an alternative to Zubimendi, with Ryan Gravenberch stepping up for the time being. One injury in midfield, though, could change the outlook.
The risk that Liverpool has taken won’t cost a couple of hundred million dollars but should free up space — financially and within the roster — for a big addition in the future. In the meantime, Slot will have to keep his fingers crossed that Gravenberch’s form can continue.
"Winning games is more important than winning transfer windows," Graham continued. Three wins from three games is a perfect start for Liverpool. As long as that carries on, the scrutiny over the decision not to sign an alternative to Zubimendi will stay away.