Arne Slot defends Liverpool’s transfer strategy, highlighting £300m in player sales offset £400m+ spending. New signings like Isak and Wirtz bolster the squad. Slot expresses satisfaction with the team’s strong start to the Premier League season despite significant squad changes.
Arne Slot has responded to criticism surrounding Liverpool's significant spending in the recent transfer window, emphasizing the club's substantial revenue generated through player sales. Slot argues that the focus on Liverpool's acquisitions overlooks the £300 million the club has recouped, justifying their investment in new talent.
Liverpool's activity in the transfer market saw the arrival of several high-profile players, including Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, Milos Kerkez, Jeremie Frimpong, and Giovanni Leoni. Furthermore, a pre-existing agreement for Giorgi Mamardashvili was finalized, adding to the list of new recruits at Anfield. These acquisitions propelled Liverpool's spending beyond the £400 million mark, surpassing Chelsea's previous record for expenditure in a single transfer window set in 2023.
The potential addition of Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi would have further increased Liverpool's outlay by another £35 million, but the deal ultimately fell through on deadline day. Nonetheless, Liverpool made headlines by breaking the British transfer record twice in the same window. Florian Wirtz's move, initially valued at £100 million with a potential rise to £116 million, was overshadowed by Alexander Isak's £130 million transfer, making the former Newcastle United striker the new record holder.
In response to the scrutiny over Liverpool's spending, Arne Slot highlighted the significant funds generated through the sales of players such as Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez, Jarrell Quansah, and Ben Doak. Speaking ahead of Liverpool's Champions League match against Atletico Madrid, Slot addressed the imbalance in the narrative surrounding the club's transfer activity.
"There’s so much focus on our new signings and especially pundits who favour, not us, but some other clubs in the country," he said. "They cannot stop talking about £450m, I repeat £450m, £450m… but they always forget the £300m that we’ve sold!"
Slot emphasized that the new signings are of comparable value to the existing players in the squad. He explained that strategic investment is essential for strengthening the team, suggesting that even a player like Dominik Szoboszlai would command a substantial transfer fee if sold.
Liverpool's impressive start to the Premier League season has seen them win their first four games, securing victories with late goals in each match. Despite acknowledging that the team is not yet at its peak, Slot expressed his satisfaction with their performance thus far.
"We are far above my expectations during the summer," he said. "We all know what happened this summer and for us to be on 12 points from these fixtures is so much more than I expected, especially after so many changes in our group."
Slot remains optimistic about Liverpool's potential for improvement, while also recognizing the challenging nature of their early fixtures. He acknowledged that the team's current form is a positive sign, considering the significant changes that have taken place within the squad.
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) September 16, 2025