IMAGINE some children in the playground, each holding 20 trading cards – Pokemon, soccer, Minecraft, whatever.
Lucy has a great collection, but she buys some shiny new ones, getting the money by selling the same number as she acquires, even though she loves them. She also unfortunately loses one.
Andy’s collection is almost as good, but his parents let him buy six more, and he only has to give up some that he no longer wants.
Jeremy Doku, left, has impressed at the Club World Cup for Manchester City (John Raoux/AP)
Jeremy Doku, left, has impressed at the Club World Cup for Manchester City (John Raoux/AP)(John Raoux/AP)
Mary got some extra cards at Christmas time and has bought some more. She hasn’t had to sell any cards anyone has heard of yet although she did give away some older ones.
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Mike has an embarrassingly over-priced and tattered array of cards but his parents are rich and they let him buy some more expensive cards even though no one wants to pay anything for the ones he wants to get rid of.
Cherie loves buying new cards, but she does sell and swap loads too.
So, who has more, and better, cards to play with?
If you believed all the hoopla and hype you’d think that Liverpool FC are blatantly trying to ‘buy’ the English Premier League title (which they already hold).
The truth is that, as it stands the Reds’ summer trading puts them behind Arsenal, Manchester City, and even Manchester United – remember them?
Only wheeler-dealers Chelsea have a better transfer balance than the Anfield outfit among England’s major clubs.
Sure, Liverpool have spent big (E294m), but largely because they have had to replace some of their best cards.
Diaz won the Premier League with Liverpool last season
Diaz won the Premier League with Liverpool last season(Peter Byrne/PA)
They didn’t want to lose Trent Alexander-Arnold, or Luis Diaz, but they have gone, to Real Madrid and Bayern Munich respectively.
Jeremie Frimpong is a replacement for the former, while Florian Wirtz will bring much-needed creativity in midfield, not least because of the loss of Trent.
Hugo Ekitike has come into the attack, as an option to fill in for the departed Diaz and/or Darwin Nunez, who has moved on to Saudi Arabia.
Left-back Milos Kerkez has been brought in as competition for one of the greatest bargains ever, Andy Robertson, with the possibility that Kostas Tsimikas will be sold.
Goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili, although his signing was secured last summer, is the planned back-up to Alisson Becker, factoring in letting Caoimhin Kelleher go to Brentford.
A minute’s silence for former Liverpool forward Diogo Jota was interrupted by Crystal Palace fans at Wembley
A minute’s silence for former Liverpool forward Diogo Jota was interrupted by Crystal Palace fans at Wembley(Adam Davy/PA)
Then there’s the irreplaceable, the ever-missed Diogo Jota, who tragically lost his life, along with his brother Andre Silva, in a road traffic accident.
With a net spend of E98m this summer the Reds are perfectly entitled to go after Newcastle United forward Alexander Isak.
They will also need at least one centre half after selling Jarell Quansah to Bayer Leverkusen.
Liverpool literally had credit in the bank compared to all their major rivals having only brought in Federico Chiesa in 2024.
So while Liverpool have replaced, others have added and added, notably Arsenal. Replacements too, sure – but definite upgrades, and they haven’t lost a single player they wished to keep.
Arsenal were unlucky last season with injuries and, er, unusual officiating – just as Liverpool were the season before.
Euro 2024 winner Martin Zubimendi had previously been a target for Liverpool and was also linked with Real Madrid
Euro 2024 winner Martin Zubimendi had previously been a target for Liverpool and was also linked with Real Madrid(Nick Potts/PA)
The Gunners, runners-up over the past three seasons, have brought in Martin Zubimendi, Victor Gyokeres, Noni Madueke, Christian Norgaard, Cristhian Mosquera, and Kepa Arrizabalaga.
Their only sales so far have totalled a measly E8m, although they have also let Thomas Partey, Jorginho, Takihiro Tomiyasu, and Kieran Tierney go on free transfers, while ending the loans of Raheem Sterling and goalkeeper Neto.
Arsenal’s strength-in-depth is now incredible.
By my reckoning neither Leandro Trossard nor Gabriel Jesus would make even Mikel Arteta’s SECOND eleven. Not Reiss Nelson either.
That would be the following: Kepa; Ben White, Mosquera, Jacob Kiwior, Riccardo Calafiori; Norgaard, Merino, Zinchenko; Nwaneri, Havertz, Martinelli.
Cost for that second string? Around E305m!
Perhaps Havertz is first choice rather than Madueke, but that would still make for quite the team of second choices.
Liverpool's Tyrone star Conor Bradley (left) with Jarell Quansah
Liverpool's Tyrone star Conor Bradley (left) with Jarell Quansah(Peter Byrne)
In contrast, Liverpool’s back-up XI, even including Alexis Mac Allister, with Wataru Endo as a stand-in centre half, comes to E113m.
If Arteta does not win the title this season then he has to be considered a failure.
That Arsenal squad should mitigate against all but the most exceptional injury crises.
No more excuses to emanate from the Emirates.
His approach was too negative last season, so the acquisitions of Gyokeres and Madueke – and the interest in Eberezi Eke of Crystal Palace – indicate a change of direction. Forward.
Tijani Reijnders has been backed to make a big impression at Manchester City by Nathan Ake
Tijani Reijnders has been backed to make a big impression at Manchester City by Nathan Ake(Bradley Collyer/PA)
Manchester City, as they somehow are always able to do, have again spent massively this year without attracting much attention.
A staggering E395m in 2025, to be precise, on Omar Marmoush, Nico Gonzalez, Tijjani Reijnders, Abdukodir Khusanov, Ryan Ait-Nouri, Rayan Cherki, James Trafford, Sverre Nypna, Vitor Reis, Juma Bah, and Marcus Bettinelli. Almost an entire team there.
It’s almost as if they’re stockpiling against a potential transfer ban…
To be fair, City have lost two club legends this summer, Kevin de Bruyne and Kyle Walker, and had to sell Julien Alvarez last summer, but losing any player they want to keep is exceedingly rare for them.
Pep Guardiola has always been a ‘Formula One’ driver: first with Barcelona, then at Bayern Munich, now with Manchester City.
He’s achieved much - but with much.
City have backed him to the hilt again and they must surely be in the title running this term.
Then there’s the extraordinary aspect of the team that finished 15th, and has no European involvement this season, spending more than £200m (around E225m) on attackers alone.
Manchester United will try to bring in some money, and will surely do so before the transfer window closes, but so far they have had to let Marcus Rashford go on loan to Barcelona while AC Milan are pushing for a similar deal for striker Rasmus Hojlund.
Chelsea might take the talented but arrogant Alejandro Garnacho off their hands as they continue to splash the cash – almost E280m this summer.
The London Blues bring plenty of money in too, though, E232m.
They deserve great credit for defeating Paris Saint-Germain to win the Club World Cup Final but this season may just be too soon for their young brigade to end up on top.
Don’t rule Chelsea out – but Arsenal and Manchester City have to involve Liverpool in a proper title race this time around.