Liverpool’s £390m Transfer Struggle Leaves Slot Searching for Answers
Liverpool’s Premier League title defence has quickly turned into a campaign of frustration and unanswered questions. As Ian Ladyman of the Daily Mail noted, the club’s £390 million summer outlay has yet to bear fruit, and their inability to integrate new arrivals is threatening to derail their season before it properly begins.
Costly Transfers Failing to Deliver
Few champions have faced such a rapid dismantling of success. After last season’s title triumph, Liverpool lost Luis Díaz and Darwin Núñez to transfers while also enduring the heartbreaking loss of Diogo Jota. What should have been a summer of consolidation instead became one of reconstruction.
The £390m invested across five new outfield players was supposed to usher in a new era under Arne Slot. Instead, the manager appears stranded midway through a rebuild that’s yet to find its rhythm. As Ladyman observed, Slot “looked like a bloke who has turned up at the wrong construction site.”
In Manchester, against a revitalised City side, Liverpool’s lack of cohesion was plain to see. The Dutchman selected only two of his summer signings – striker Hugo Ekitike and midfielder Florian Wirtz – yet both were largely anonymous. The remaining trio of Milos Kerkez, Jeremie Frimpong, and Aleksandar Isak either lost their places or succumbed to injury.
Unbalanced System and Faltering Energy
Liverpool’s defeat at the Etihad wasn’t just about individual shortcomings. It was about structure and energy. The side that had poured everything into emotional and physical efforts against Aston Villa and Real Madrid looked drained. “Liverpool looked leggy and short of energy,” wrote Ladyman, pinpointing a worrying drop-off in intensity.
Mo Salah’s performances, meanwhile, continue to divide opinion. Once the most devastating wide forward in England, he now appears off pace, with Ladyman describing him as “a yard slower than this time last year.” His reluctance to track back has also left right-back Conor Bradley exposed, drawing midfielders out of position and creating exploitable gaps. Pep Guardiola called Salah “a nightmare” to play against in years gone by — but right now, Ladyman wrote, “Liverpool’s Egyptian king is a dream to play against.”
Against City, those tactical imbalances were ruthlessly punished. Virgil van Dijk’s disallowed goal at 0–1 and Cody Gakpo’s missed chance at 0–2 were turning points, but the broader picture was of a team struggling to maintain control. With Ekitike unable to hold the ball and Wirtz subdued, City dictated the tempo.
Youthful Promise, Immediate Problems
For all the gloom, Liverpool’s squad composition still offers reason for patience. “The lack of impact of the players mentioned here is unlikely to be permanent,” Ladyman noted, and history supports that optimism. The average age profile – Ekitike (23), Isak (26), Wirtz (22), Kerkez (22), and Bradley (21) – points to a group designed for the medium term.
The issue is that Liverpool need performances now. Slot’s team are four points behind Manchester City and already playing catch-up. That gap, though not insurmountable, feels significant given how little fluency they’ve displayed. The transition from Jurgen Klopp’s intensity to Slot’s controlled approach was never likely to be seamless, but the drop-off has been starker than expected.
As Ladyman explained, “Liverpool have lost good players and have not yet been able to replace what they took with them when they went.” The £390m recruitment drive brought talent, but not yet the chemistry to harness it.
Short-Term Goals and Long-Term Lessons
With City and Arsenal setting relentless standards, Liverpool’s immediate goal must be stability rather than silverware. Their upcoming fixtures before Christmas are, as Ladyman wrote, “palatable,” offering a chance to regain momentum and solidify a top-four position.
There’s no need for hysteria – but realism is essential. Title defences in the Premier League era are notoriously difficult; only dynasties like Manchester United and City have maintained sustained dominance. Liverpool’s fall from champions to challengers reflects both the league’s competitiveness and the cost of transition.
Slot’s challenge is clear: turn expensive potential into consistent performance. Until that happens, the £390m spent will hang over Liverpool like an unanswered question. As Ladyman concluded, “Liverpool’s failure to integrate their new arrivals is not so much holding them back but destroying them.”
For now, Arne Slot must find a way to stop the rot – and fast.
