Liverpool's summer recruitment has come under scrutiny as a result of the team's poor form so far this season
Liverpool manager Arne Slot and sporting director Richard Hughes
Richard Hughes has come under fire from Liverpool fans(Image: PA)
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Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes has already explained the reasoning and thought process behind the club's summer window, despite recent criticism in light of the team's current form.
On the back of a stellar Premier League campaign last term, the Merseyside outfit splashed the cash in the transfer market to bolster their title-winning squad. However, the big-money arrivals - such as Alexander Isak, Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz, among others - were also coupled with some high-profile departures.
Luis Diaz was chief among them, with the Colombian currently thriving in the Bundesliga with Bayern Munich. Central defender Jarell Quansah also headed to Germany to join Bayer Leverkusen, while Darwin Nunez was signed by Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal.
In the full-back areas, Jeremie Frimpong was signed to replace the RealMadrid-bound Trent Alexander-Arnold. Milos Kerkez was also seen as the long-term successor to Andy Robertson, although the latter still remains at Anfield despite links with a move away in the summer.
As a result of Liverpool's recent form - which has seen them suffer a staggering nine defeats in their last 12 games - there has been plenty of revisionism over what was initially viewed as a strong summer. With significant funds spent, some supporters are dissatisfied with the business conducted and believe the squad could have been strengthened elsewhere.
"Look at Arsenal they got their recruitment spot on and are reaping the benefits, we bought round pegs for square holes," one fan wrote on X.
"I am a big admirer of Wirtz but he doesn't fit Liverpool's style of play. With a lack of cover in defence, the main money should have been spent there," another said on X.
"His [Hughes'] decisions have left us with a smaller squad than last season. You take out the players Slot doesn’t like or trust and there is next to nothing to come on," another supporter complained.
Alexander Isak
Big-money signing Alexander Isak has failed to hit the ground running at Liverpool
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Speaking at the IMG x RedBird Summit back in September, as quoted by The Athletic, Hughes discussed Liverpool's recruitment strategy and the summer window in detail, with the meticulous approach not conducive to the current criticisms being thrown at the hierarchy.
"As best you can, you have to detach yourself from what the transfer fee is likely to be," the Scot explained. "First and foremost, the identification of the right player for the right system for the right head coach has a fair amount of importance, and I think this is not something that’s necessarily new for the football club and its ownership.
"We pay what we believe to be fair market value for a player based on age and based on necessity of that individual to fit into the squad.
"In the fullness of time, we hope that, instead of talking now about what a huge fee it is, it has been value for money for the football club whenever we’re making that assessment in the future. And because of the ages of the players that we’ve bought, we’re confident that will end up being the case."
He added that he views Isak and Wirtz as long-term investments who can stay at the club for many years to come. “That would be very much the hope and in buying a player young, you give yourself the ability for that to be the case,” he said.
“We also want to try and win now, and that’s important as well, so I’m not describing them as works in progress or anything like that.
“These are players who have already done a lot in their individual careers. We talk about Florian and Alex, but Milos, Jeremie and Hugo are players that have achieved a certain level in the game already.”
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