Liverpool have not been shy in splashing the cash during this summer transfer window as they have managed to bring in four new players to Merseyside while some of their rivals have struggled to strengthen their squads so far.
Many critics believe that Jurgen Klopp has finally managed to address some of the problem areas of his team by acquiring some world-class talents to bolster his ranks. The Reds started off their summer spending spree by bringing in Fabinho from AS Monaco before the arrival of Naby Keita from RB Leipzig. However, the Merseyside giants suffered a minor setback when they were all set to seal a move for Lyon’s captain Nabil Fekir which fell through at the last minute due to injury complications.
More often than not, we have seen in previous transfer windows that the Reds failed to respond back from a set-back but this time, there was an exception. Klopp wasted no time and managed to land Xherdan Shaqiri on a cut-price deal from Stoke City. Perhaps, their most important signing of the summer came in the form of Alisson Becker from AS Roma.
With most of his business deals done early on, Klopp can now sit back and just concentrate on cutting his squad thin on deadline day without the hassle of incoming transfers. So the million dollar question remains, are Liverpool the biggest winners of this transfer window?
Let’s take a look at each of Klopp’s summer signings and rate them accordingly to get a better idea of what has transpired so far.
Fabinho – 7/10
The Brazilian midfielder arrived from Ligue 1 as a like for like replacement for Emre Can, who departed Anfield on a free transfer to complete a switch to Juventus. The 24-year-old primarily operates as a deep-lying holding midfielder and would provide some added protection to Liverpool’s back four. He is exactly the type of player that most of the Reds faithful were crying out for last season.
The Merseyside club needed an out and out defensive midfielder who can nip opposition attacks in the bud. Hence, Fabinho’s signing could potentially turn out to be the biggest difference maker for the Reds as they look to push Manchester City in the Premier League title race.
Naby Keita – 8.5/10
The Merseyside outfit managed to get this deal done last summer after they agreed on a fee with RB Leipzig. The arrival of the Guinean international will be a boost for the Reds as they aim to mount a realistic title challenge next season. Keita is an all-around midfielder, similar to what Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard used to be like, in the heart of the Reds midfield. He is, in my opinion, one of the best two-way midfielders in Europe at the moment so a lot is expected of him this season.
The 23-year-old lit up the Bundesliga with his goals, creativity and defensive contributions over the past few years, which is why Klopp decided to splash the cash to bring him to Merseyside this summer. Keep a lookout for Keita as he has the potential to take the Premier League by storm with his contributions at both ends of the pitch.
Xherdan Shaqiri – 7.5/10
The Swiss international could turn out to be the bargain buy of the summer. Liverpool managed to snap up the World Cup star on the cheap after Stoke City were relegated from the English top tier last season. Shaqiri has already shown what he is capable of during the Reds’ pre-season matches so far and has linked up well with the likes of Daniel Sturridge, which has instilled a lot of optimism among everyone associated with the Merseysiders.
It will be difficult for the Swiss talent to break into Klopp’s first-team due to the incredible form of Liverpool’s front players of Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah. However, Shaqiri will be a great option for Klopp to rely upon, who can come off the bench and make a significant impact in the following campaign.
Alisson Becker – 9/10
The Brazilian international is considered by many to be one of the world’s best goalkeepers right now. The big money and record-breaking acquisition could turn out to be Liverpool’s saviour this season following the club’s lack of quality in between the sticks since Pepe Reina’s departure in 2013.
Alisson is a significant upgrade over Loris Karius and could be the man to lead Liverpool’s transformation from pretenders to contenders for the Premier League title next term.
Overall, Jurgen Klopp’s side gets a solid 8/10 for all of their transfer dealings so far.
Comparing Liverpool’s Transfer Business With Other Big Spenders Of The Premier League
To summarise, the Redmen of Merseyside have managed to snap up two world-class players, one replacement midfielder and one squad player to complete their jigsaw at Anfield. Now let’s shed some light on some of the other Premier League spenders of this transfer window and rate their transfer dealings accordingly.
Arsenal – 7/10
It’s been a busy transfer window for the North Londoners so far. Their new manager Unai Emery has managed to land Stephan Lichsteiner on a free transfer while also acquiring the services of Bernd Leno, Sokratis Papastathopoulos, Lucas Torreira and Mattéo Guendouzi.
Among all five signings, only Leno could be termed as a ‘marquee’ signing while the other four players would significantly bolster Emery’s squad.
West Ham United – 7.5/10
The Hammers have made a whole host of acquisitions which include players such as Jack Wilshere, Ryan Fredericks, Fabian Balbuena, Lukasz Fabianski, Andriy Yarmolenko, Issa Diop and Felipe Anderson. While most of their additions have been good, yet there is a question mark over how soon so many new players can gel quickly in Manuel Pellegrini’s first-team.
Wolverhampton Wanderers – 7/10
Wolves have probably been the busiest club in the transfer market so far. Nuno Espirito Santo has brought 10 new players in the off-season. The likes of Willy Boly, Raul Jimenez, Rui Patricio, Leo Bonatini, Ruben Vinagre, Diogo Jota, Joao Moutinho, Jonny and Adama Traore have all completed a move to the Molineaux Stadium this summer. However, there is a concern over whether all of their new recruits can perform as a unit in their quest to avoid relegation next term.
After careful consideration, it’s fair to say that Liverpool could very well turn out to be the biggest winners of this transfer window.
