Chris Bascombe
Conor Bradley and Caoimhin Kelleher were at the heart of Liverpool’s comprehensive victory over Real Madrid Credit: Reuters/Molly Darlington
Conor Bradley and Caoimhin Kelleher
Conor Bradley and Caoimhin Kelleher were at the heart of Liverpool’s comprehensive victory over Real Madrid Credit: Reuters/Molly Darlington
Liverpool should dish out lavish new contracts in the immediate aftermath of their statement win over Real Madrid. The beneficiaries? The club’s Irish scouts, of course.
Caoimhin Kelleher’s penalty save from Kylian Mbappe was one of several highlights on a night which confirmed Liverpool’s credentials as serious contenders for top honours, and also served as the ultimate validation for how the club’s football operations are being run from top to bottom.
Republic of Ireland No 1 Kelleher and right-back Conor Bradley, the young Northern Irishman who assisted in the taming of Mbappe with a sensational tackle, are academy graduates who cost nothing in transfer fees. Now they play like superstars in the making, on a fraction of the salary of those in the opposition who at times reacted to the idea of tracking back like strutting prima donnas.
Kylian Mbappe of Real Madrid is challenged by Conor Bradley of Liverpool
Conor Bradley’s crunching sliding tackle on Kylian Mbappe set the tone at Anfield Credit: Getty Images/Justin Setterfield
The day Liverpool football club does not recognise its foundations are built upon sound investment in developing talent as well as the pricey, ready-made end products, is the day the Shankly Gates should be padlocked forever.
Caoimhin Kelleher denies Kylian Mbappé from the spot! 😳
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/fr45wUF2Cj
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) November 27, 2024
What Liverpool have now is the exciting balance every coach dreams about; home-grown gems, senior professionals and big earners like Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah leading by example, and the young and hungry up-and-coming recruits like Ryan Gravenberch, who was described by one Spanish reporter to Arne Slot as ‘the next Toni Kroos’.
“He isn’t because he is Dutch, not German,” Slot quipped back.
There is much more work to be done and trophies to be won to preserve the idea of Slot’s appointment being one of the great Anfield masterstrokes, or indeed last summer’s transfer policy of adding only the lesser spotted Federico Chiesa a shrewd move.
Ryan Gravenberch of Liverpool is congratulated by manager Arne Slot following their win over Real Madrid
Arne Slot has one of Europe’s best young midfielders in Ryan Gravenberch Credit: Getty Images/Chris Brunskill
What is beyond doubt is that despite all the criticism of underspending, a Liverpool team is already formed with the capacity to win domestic and European titles. Given where Liverpool have come from since their last meeting with Real Madrid – including losing one of their greatest managers – the applause for that right now ought to be vociferous.
When Liverpool lost 5-2 on Real Madrid’s previous visit in February 2023, the chastening experience was the catalyst for a rebuild. The popular opinion was the club had to commit £110 million in a transfer fee and further £100m in salary over five years to sign Jude Bellingham.
Spending smart, not big
Soon after, Jurgen Klopp announced another surrender. Rather than pursue one midfielder, the club would use the funds to buy three.
Liverpool could not buy Bellingham. But to quote Brad Pitt as Billy Beane in the movie Moneyball, they could “create him in the aggregate”.
There was initially rancour at the decision, yet the combined fee of Alexis Mac Allister, Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai – the three who arrived instead of Bellingham – was £130 million. At a conservative estimate, their current salary should they stay on Merseyside for five years will amount to another £78m. Three players for the price of one, with probably change to spare. It was never a case of refusing to spend big – more about spending smart.
Jude Bellingham is crowded out by Liverpool players
Liverpool bought three midfielders for the price Real Madrid paid for Jude Bellingham Credit: Getty Images/Robbie Jay Barratt
Mac Allister and Gravenberch ran the midfield alongside another home-grown diamond, Curtis Jones, on Wednesday night.
The lesson is obvious. When done well, spreading resources and making decisions based on cold analysis rather than raw emotion can work splendidly. What may seem obvious right here, right now, could be at best a miscalculation in 18 months’ time, and at worst financially calamitous.
Nobody would have believed it in 2023, but Bellingham’s going to the Bernabeu was not only the best thing that could have happened to him and for Real Madrid. If Wednesday night is anything to go by – it was also the best outcome for Liverpool given where they are today.
The most important lesson too many seem to ignore is this: as things stand, Liverpool have demonstrated that being top of the Premier League and Champions League does not necessarily mean you have to be top of the spending league.
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