Liverpool manager Arne Slot
Italy, Milan, 2025 12 09: Arne Slot (Liverpool manager) walks close to the bench prior to kick off during soccer game FC Inter vs Liverpool FC, UCL 2025-2026 Matchday 6 at San Siro Stadium
Arne Slot says it’s completely justified that expectations were high with Liverpool this season.
The Liverpool manager has been speaking to Viaplay and Soccer News have relayed his comments regarding the Reds’ struggles.
Slot arrived at Anfield in 2024 and helped Liverpool win the title in his debut season. His side were active last summer and spent well over €450m on new signings.
The Merseyside club spent well over €100m to sign Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak, with the latter arriving for a British record fee from Newcastle United.
Liverpool also added Hugo Ekitiké, Milos Kerkez, Jeremie Frimpong and Giovanni Leoni to Slot’s squad in the same window.
Surprise over Liverpool struggling
The English club started the season with five league wins in a row before going through a difficult phase between September and November.
The Reds had three wins from 12 matches. Slot was criticised and his future at Anfield was questioned, more so given his side spent big. This didn’t please the Dutch media.
Since the start of December, Liverpool have lost only two matches in all competitions, against AFC Bournemouth and Manchester City.
“The fact that expectations were incredibly high after last summer was completely justified, if you look at what we spent,” he said.
“What no one wants to acknowledge, or seems to acknowledge, is that all the other clubs in the Premier League are spending so much money on adding players. But we did it to replace players. Of the 450m we spent, I think I only had 250m structurally available.”
Summer signings not always available
Leoni suffered a serious injury in September and is unlikely to feature again this season. Both Frimpong and Isak, who arrived on deadline day, have struggled with injuries.
Slot now uses their absences to refute the criticism for his side dropping points. The Reds are sixth in the table [45 points] trailing leaders Arsenal by 16 points.
“I don’t think Alexander Isak has been really fit yet. Giovanni Leoni has been out for the entire season, and Jeremie Frimpong, whom we know well in the Netherlands, really showed in the five or six matches he was available that he can have an impact. But when I say five or six matches, you’re really missing out on a lot,” Slot explained.
“We bought a second goalkeeper for £25m [Giorgi Mamardashvili] who hardly ever plays. That’s fine, but then you’re not using almost 250m of the 450m you spent.”
Liverpool earned big through player sales last summer. Slot points it out and indicates exits and other big clubs strengthening their squads has resulted in his side dropping points.
“If you sell for 300m, then we’re really an exception. Our competitors have added two, three, or four hundred million. That might explain a little bit why we’ve lost so many points, but it shouldn’t explain why we’ve lost so many,” he added.