Liverpool have completed the signings of Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai but have been pipped by Chelsea to Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia after public snubs
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It has variously been described as “embarrassing”, “an absolute mess”; a “shambles” even. To lose one midfielder to Chelsea is unfortunate, but losing two looks like carelessness…or incompetence.
According to Jamie Carragher, a former Liverpool player with insight on the club, such calamity is “a joke” which shows structural failings within Anfield. The TV pundit believes there are tensions and disharmony behind the scenes, suggesting there is a fundamental problem within the current recruitment structures in place.
“It’s the structure of the club, what are Liverpool doing?” he said of the transfer policy. “In the space of 18 months, Liverpool have had three directors of football.
“They haven’t got deals done - that’s your job in that role. The two players they bought had buyout clauses, there’s no negotiations in those! They can’t get deals over the line, they don’t pay the certain amounts. It’s an absolute mess, it’s a joke.”
It is true of course, the sporting director role which Michael Edwards performed so admirably for so long, has seemed like a weight on his successors. Julian Ward only lasted a season, Jorge Schmadtke has had a baptism of fire this summer.
The reality is, coming from the Bundesliga into a role different to the typical sporting director duties in Germany was always going to be a difficult transition for Schmadtke, despite his relationship with Jurgen Klopp. Yet Liverpool’s business so far when they have got deals done has been impressive - Alexis MacAllister was a steal at £35m, Dominik Szoboszlai looks a Rolls Royce addition to the midfield at £60m.
The problem has come in trying to navigate transfer waters made turbulent to the point of torrid by the Saudi Pro League attempt to dive into the football world…and by Chelsea’s extravagant tactics in bypassing financial rules within the game.
While everyone is distracted by what has supposedly gone wrong at Liverpool, perhaps more attention should be paid to what the hell is happening at Stamford Bridge, where their unheard of near 10-year contracts are totally distorting the transfer market.
Moises Caicedo signed an eight-year deal with Chelsea after snubbing Liverpool (
Image:
Chelsea FC via Getty Images)
People have asked why would Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia choose Chelsea over a Reds team far more competitive in recent seasons…and with European football to offer. The answer is simple: money.
Caicedo has signed a contract of eight years - or 10 if you believe some outlets. Lavia will do the same. That is money guaranteed until at least 2031…whether these inexperienced, young players are successful or not.
Chelsea in fact, have now signed more than 20 players on contracts of six years or longer in recent months, meaning their financial obligations are mind-blowingly massive…and potentially catastrophic if even a handful are unsuccessful.
They do get around the Premier League’s profit and sustainability regulations, though a return to Europe would put them on the wrong side of FFP after a rule change following their massive contract spree last January. It is merely shoring up problems for the future though, and unsustainable…which is why Liverpool and other top clubs refuse to follow the model.
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Add the Saudi money sloshing around though, and the market has been distorted beyond expectation. Especially when it comes to defensive midfielders, with Caicedo and Declan Rice the two most expensive players in the window - in the whole world - so far.
Add in Jude Bellingham, and the top three most expensive players in the market this summer are midfielders, while the likes of Neymar, Benzema, Messi and even Harry Kane have gone for far less.
Liverpool knew how tough a market it was, and knew they would be criticised for going for Caicedo. But they thought his move to Chelsea had stalled, and decided to risk embarrassment by going all in on trying to sign him. Better to have tried and failed was the thinking.
That merely provoked the London club into outbidding them…and offering the 8-10 year contract was something they could not match. The same applied to Lavia. Yes, embarrassing, but understandable.
Jurgen Klopp and Jorg Schmadtke are still hoping for midfield reinforcements (
Image:
Liverpoolfc.com)
HAVE YOUR SAY!How would you rate Liverpool’s market so far? Give your score in the comments below
So what now for the Reds? They still need a holding midfielder, but have the added inconvenience of selling clubs knowing how much they were prepared to spend on alternatives. This will add to the difficulty for Schmadtke, but he is a veteran who knows the market…or at least the market outside the madness of this summer’s window.
Holland midfielder Ryan Gravenberch has been a long term target, and was valued at around half the fee that Chelsea agreed for 19 year old Lavia. A deal could still be done.
Khephren Thuram is another they have pursued, and again, would cost less than Lavia, let alone Caicedo. He is a full France international. His international team mate Yousouff Fofana, who played in the World Cup final, could also offer much better value. Tyler Adams at Leeds has ridiculously impressive defensive midfield stats…and a tiny price tag.
The work continues for Liverpool. Maybe the critics are right, and there are behind the scenes issues. But it is not a question of money, as the £100m+ bids to sign Caicedo and Bellingham - and the £75m offered last summer for Aurelien Tchouameni - illustrate.
Maybe it has just been a question of wrong time, wrong club competing with them.
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