JAMIE CARRAGHER has labelled Liverpool’s transfer business as “an absolute mess” this summer.
The Reds have only seen two new players arrive at Anfield this summer while seven first-team regulars have left.
GettyJamie Carragher has slammed Liverpool’s transfer business[/caption]
Liverpool missed out on Moises CaicedoGetty
GettyRomeo Lavia could also snub Liverpool for Chelsea[/caption]
Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister have both arrived to strengthen the midfield from RB Leipzig and Brighton respectively.
The duo have cost the club a combined £100million, however the club are still short on numbers in the midfield.
That is because club captain Jordan Henderson as well as James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Naby Keita and Fabinho have all left on permanent deals.
While promising youngster Fabio Carvalho has been loaned to Leipzig for the season.
Liverpool have been trying to sign another midfielder but have thus far failed.
The club had agreed a deal worth £110m to sign Moises Caicedo only for him to say no and join Chelsea.
While it appears Liverpool will also miss out on Southampton star Romeo Lavia, also to the Blues.
And this has left Carragher fuming with the club’s transfer strategy this summer.
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He said on Sky Sports: “It’s been an absolute mess! It’s a JOKE…embarrassing!
Carragher was then asked where he would think Liverpool would be if Lavia also made the move to Stamford Bridge instead of Anfield.
And he replied: “In a pretty difficult place. They need to buy someone in midfield. People know that they’re desperate.
“They put in a bid for Lavia today for £60m, even when they refused to pay £50m four or five days ago. It’s been an absolute mess. It’s a joke.
“The biggest problem about it is that Liverpool have known they needed midfield reinforcements since about August last season, 12 months ago.
“People think I defend FSG – I’ve got no relationship with them at all. But this is not on the owners. This is on the structure of the football club when you go back two years when Liverpool were the model for every team in Europe – not just the Premier League – to follow.
“When Liverpool were winning the league, getting to Champions League finals, what are Liverpool doing? They’re not spending as much money as other teams, but they’re producing these players.
“Yes, they’ve got a great manager, but they had a guy called Michael Edwards at the top of the club as the director of football, a transfer committee, whatever name you want to put on it, beneath him. It worked well.
The Mega AgencyAlexis Mac Allister is one of two players to join Liverpool this summer[/caption]
“He left. His number two then took over. He was in the job for six months. He then moved on. You have to ask the reasons why these people are actually moving on from the football club. I don’t know, I don’t know what’s going on behind the scenes.
“A guy has come in from Germany, he has a relationship with Jurgen Klopp. He’s only there for the summer, that’s all he’s there for, and then he moves on. Liverpool will then get another director of football.
“Liverpool have not got deals over the line, and it’s been embarrassing. You start with Lavia, don’t pay a certain amount, then you go for Caicedo, get something agreed. That’s why I will not be critical of the owners, they were willing to pay £110m and break the transfer record.
“But to go with him, when he’s been talking to Chelsea for three months. Now go back to Lavia. It’s an absolute mess.”
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