It has now been over 25 years since a Liverpool side last tasted the sweet joy of lifting a league title. Undoubtedly, far too long for a club who in terms of overall silverware in English football, rank second only (by one solitary trophy) to fierce rivals Manchester United. And this despite that three-decade drought and United winning 13 league titles in the last 20 years, a sign of how dominant the Reds were in the 70’s and 80’s.
Liverpool have been nearly men twice in recent years; firstly when coming second under Rafa Benitez in 2008-09, and then when matching that finish in the ‘Suarez season’ of 2013-14 under now-Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers.
Over this period, Liverpool have made several significant sales, notably the aforementioned Suarez for £65m, Fernando Torres for £50m and Raheem Sterling for £49m. No purchases until now have even approached those sort of gaudy figures.
Incoming business has been steady rather than spectacular with an average net spend of £30m each season, and the mishap of the £35m Andy Carroll transfer standing out as a stinging reminder of how big-spending does not necessarily guarantee quality.
FSG have seemed cautious ever since being burned by the Carroll deal (and to a lesser extent wasting £20m on Stewart Downing in the same year), with an ‘invisible ceiling’ of around £30m seemingly set and the likes of Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane, both roaring successes so far, being acquired for around that figure.
This summer, however, it seems things have changed. The almost-but-not-quite season of last held so much promise up until the turn of the year, when the loss of Mane to the AFCON, niggling injuries, a lack of squad depth, and a dearth of ideas against smaller teams defending deep saw the Reds stumble from sniffing at the title to scrambling to make fourth place.
There appears to be a renewed purpose to Liverpool’s business, with an awareness that with the right investment a run at the title is within their grasp. I won’t go into the Virgil van Dijk saga here, but the mere fact there is a genuine link with a player who may cost up to £70m signals a seismic shift in Liverpool’s intentions. In the past, they would have walked away from any player likely to cost much above that magic £30m mark.
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With any deal for van Dijk on hold, Klopp and co swiftly turned to their main target for a wide attacking position, Roma’s Mohamed Salah. Italian clubs are notoriously awkward to negotiate with but Liverpool successfully got their man for a few million more than their original £28m offer. There are conflicting reports over the final fee with some quoting it as £34m and others a Carroll-beating £36m – the fact that Liverpool’s official announcement made no mention of it being a record deal suggests that the former is closer to the mark.
Completing a transfer for such a fee before the transfer window has even officially opened is a major sign of intent – as is the nature and projected cost of Klopp’s other main targets. Despite unreliable rumours from Italy suggesting he was signing for Chelsea, van Dijk remains a favourite to travel the well-heeled path from Southampton to Anfield, but at a world-record fee for a defender of between £60m and £70m.
Such a deal alone would show the football world that Liverpool Football Club is back on the map, but if completed that will be nowhere close to the end of Klopp’s business this summer. There have been recent rumours of moves for Monaco’s Kylian Mbappe and Dortmund’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang which would represent a major surprise not just due to their cost and status, but also because a striker now does not appear to be a major need, unless the Daniel Sturridge situation suddenly changes and he is sold.
More likely are reinforcements at left-back with Alberto Moreno on the way out, and in midfield where RB Leipzig’s Naby Keita appears to be the main target. His price tag is nothing to be sniffed at either; as with his club reluctant to sell it is likely to take around £50m to prise him from the Bundesliga.
A left-back is likely to be recruited for somewhat less than the extravagance of Liverpool’s other major buys this summer, especially with Monaco’s Benjamin Mendy allegedly scuppering any move with ridiculous £200k a week wage demands. Nevertheless, a further investment of around £20m on a left-back seems realistic, and if the van Dijk and Keita deals are completed this would bring Liverpool’s spending into brave new territory; approaching the £200m mark.
£200m would be serious money, even in the obscene, financially irresponsible world of football. Until now, only clubs like United, Chelsea and Manchester City would have spent anything close to that amount, showing how the Premier League is on a different level to every other league in the world: even Real Madrid don’t indulge in such extravagance these days.
An investment of £200m would prove two things: that Liverpool owners FSG are finally putting their money where their mouth is; and that Liverpool are back amongst the big boys.
There won’t be any better time to do it, either. Liverpool competed well enough last season to show that the basics of a championship side were there; and plug van Dijk into the heart of the defence, the all-action Keita into midfield, the electric Salah opposite Mane and a proper left back in and the Reds will truly be a force to be reckoned with next season.
Klopp must be salivating as much as the fans at the prospect, but Liverpool’s transfer negotiators have plenty of work to do first. If they are successful, your infamous perch is about to get very crowded, Fergie.
