Richard Hughes Got Liverpool’s Big Moves Right, So Why Is the Squad Still Short?

Richard Hughes leaves behind a curious Liverpool legacy. Hundreds of millions have been spent, major names have arrived and a title-winning manager was recruited, yet Lewis Steele believes the departing sporting director has left the squad significantly short.

Speaking to Dave Davis on Anfield Index’s Media Matters, Steele assessed Hughes’ work after another transfer window in which Liverpool spent heavily without addressing every obvious weakness.

His conclusion was far from a complete dismissal of Hughes. Steele believes history may eventually judge the sporting director more favourably. Right now, however, Liverpool appear to have spent an extraordinary amount of money without constructing a complete squad.

Liverpool Spending Raises Hughes Questions

The numbers formed an important part of the discussion.

Davis highlighted that Liverpool have spent £693million across the two years since winning the Premier League title. Steele admitted that, had somebody predicted such investment when Liverpool lifted the trophy, expectations would have been enormous.

“If you had said on that day when they were lifting the trophy they’re going to spend the best part of £700m, I’d be putting 100 quid on them to win the quadruple,” Steele said.

Yet Liverpool still entered this season with concerns in midfield, at right-back and across the defence.

“I do think that Hughes has left the team undercooked,” Steele said, specifically identifying midfield, right-back and the defence among the areas Liverpool have repeatedly discussed without sufficiently resolving.

Those concerns have quickly become relevant under Andoni Iraola, with Dominik Szoboszlai already being considered as a solution at right-back. Steele suggested Iraola had been “let down” because Liverpool could have signed both a right-back and midfielder but did not.

Hughes Got Liverpool’s Biggest Decisions Right

Steele nevertheless believes Hughes deserves significant credit.

“History will be kinder to Hughes,” he predicted, pointing towards the appointment of Arne Slot, who subsequently won the Premier League, and Hughes’ role in convincing major players to join Liverpool.

That distinction runs throughout Steele’s assessment.

Liverpool have attracted elite talent during Hughes’ tenure and the current attack looks exceptionally strong. Steele believes Liverpool could even make a case for possessing the Premier League’s best front three once their leading players click together.

The problem lies elsewhere.

“He’s got the big moves right, but it’s the little ones that have let him down,” Steele explained.

Those “less glamorous signings” could have completed Liverpool’s squad. Instead, Steele believes they remain “two or three players away from a really, really good team again”.

Richard Hughes Leaves Liverpool Undercooked

Liverpool’s transfer strategy has consequently created an unusual picture.

The club had the Premier League’s highest net spend during the summer, with Davis putting the figure at approximately £230million during the discussion. That naturally leads to questions about how the available money was allocated.

Steele was particularly puzzled by the midfield situation. Liverpool consistently maintained throughout the summer that they would not sign another midfielder, despite Steele believing one was required. He also questioned why reported future interest in Lamine Camara would make sense if the player was already available.

For Steele, Liverpool’s defensive weaknesses are hardly hidden.

“It’s blatantly obvious to us guys. It’s blatantly obvious to most of the people at most of the 60,000 people at Anfield every Saturday,” he said.

That perhaps defines the frustration surrounding Hughes.

Liverpool have spent heavily and acquired outstanding individuals. Steele believes Hughes may ultimately receive greater recognition if those players fulfil their potential.

Yet his immediate verdict remains difficult to ignore.

“History will be kinder, but right now can’t escape the feeling that there’s just quite a lot of things that should have been done and seemed quite easy to be done that he didn’t do.”

For a sporting director, assembling the stars is only part of the job. Liverpool’s coming season may determine how costly those missing pieces prove to be.