The buzz around Anfield on a European night is like no other, and Liverpool 2-1 win over Everton this weekend puts them in the driving seat to claim a Champions League spot in what has been a dismal campaign.
Virgil Van Dijk’s 100th-minute winner has provided his side with breathing room, as they move seven points clear of sixth place. However, the job is not over yet, as Arne Slot’s side still have away trips to Old Trafford and Villa Park, as well as a tough home test against Chelsea.
Mohamed Salah and Andrew Robertson have already announced their departure in the summer, so sufficient replacements will be required. In an interview with Rousing The Kop, football finance expert Kieran Maguire explains how detrimental the Champions League is.
Champions League is a must
The Anfield outfit have had a rollercoaster of a season, with a start which looked set to put them in a title battle, to a drop in quality which could have seen them fall out of the top eight.
Now with the Premier League the only remaining competition this season, the Dutch manager has his sights set on a steady end to the season, which sees his side finish inside the top five.
Last season, they spent £450m on players to rebuild their title-winning side, which included two record-breaking deals in Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak. Maguire assures the supporters that last summer’s deals will not affect this year’s proceedings.
He said, “Liverpool won’t be hampered by the purchase of players last year. Yes, they spent a lot of money but remember those costs will be amortised over a five-year period.”
He continued.
“They will have recouped that through their European participation in the 2025/26 season, even though it came to an end earlier than they would like.”
The Reds reached the quarter-final stage of the Champions League this year but suffered a heavy blow at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain.
The last time they reached the last eight in Europe came in 2024, but it was in the Europa League, where they were knocked out by Atalanta. This had issues with the club’s ability to spend that summer, as the only signing made in Slot’s first summer was Federico Chiesa.
The money that is available to the club in Europe’s elite competition, and Maguire confirmed it will be too good to pass up on, especially when the upcoming transfer window has a lot riding on it for the Merseyside club.
“That will completely reset the budget in the sense that they know they’ll be guaranteed that minimum of £30m just for turning up.”
He added.
“For every £100 you get in the Champions League prize money, it’s £22 in the Europa League and only £11 in the Conference, so that top five position is the core focus of Liverpool.”
Reshuffle at AXA Training Centre
The void that will be left by both Salah and Robertson will be massive in terms of their ability on the pitch and their character off the pitch, which has been vital to the success the club has endured since they both arrived in 2017.
Several other players look to be on their way out as well. Wataru Endo and Federico Chiesa have both received a few minutes under Slot, while Alexis Mac Allister seems to have lost his legs this season. Under Hughes, Liverpool have also sold some academy players each summer, which could open the door to the likes of Stefan Bajcetic, Jayden Danns or Kieran Morrison.
Reports today from Sky Sports suggest the Reds have identified four key areas of their squad they want to address this window, with two forwards, a midfielder and a left back on the shopping list.
However, this still feels like it’s leaving the squad exposed in areas. They are yet to replace Luis Diaz, who moved to Bayern Munich last year, while Hugo Ekitike’s injury is a potential red flag.
Slot’s troops took steps in the right direction on the weekend, but if they want to put the club back on track for yet another busy window, they have to end the season in style and confirm their place in the Champions League, where the club truly belongs.
