Liverpool -Baas Arne Slot is more than willing to spend even more on his team before the summer transfer window closes, but he wants to underline how much quality they have lost
Liverpool may have spent £ 300 million in this window so far and plans to splash even more money before it hits closed. But Boss Arne Slot admits that he does not know if they have upgraded their team until the new recruits are really settling and all their affairs are done on 1 September.
Not that the Dutchman has doubts one of the signing sessions and their qualities, but he knows that he adapts to English football and physicality will be a test.
The Reds brought in striker Hugo Ekitike for £ 79 million, playmaker Florian Wirtz for possibly a maximum of £ 116 million, versatile defender Jeremie Frimpong for £ 29 million, left back Milos Kerkez for £ 40 million and goalkeeper Giorgi Mhamardashvili for £ 30m.
But they have lost regular starters with Luis Diaz who left for Bayern Munich in a £ 65 million deal, while the right back Trent Alexander-Arnold left as his contract ended. Darwin Nunez will be sold to Al-Hilal, while defender Jarell Quansah went to Bayer Leverkusen and backup keeper Caoimhin Kelleher went to Brentford. They also had the tragic loss of Diogo Jota in a car accident.
All those players Slot knew what they could do and could not do this now, now he will see what the new boys can deliver prior to the community Shield collision of tomorrow with Crystal Palace.
When asked if he thinks the team has been upgraded, he said: “That is something that I can only tell you on 1 September, because the window is open for another three weeks. So I feel that the players we have brought in have already done really well, as we have brought them.
“But I can't tell you now whether these players can perform at the same level every three days, so we first have to start the season [to see]. And I knew that Luis Diaz could do that, and all others could do that. So that is another challenge at the Premier League, because we play so many games.
“And for Milos Kerkez it will probably be his first time that he might have to play every three days at this level. Florian Wirtz comes from the Bundesliga, where he was used to playing every three or four days, but we have to ask him in two months whether the intensity levels of the Premier League are similar to the Bundesliga.
“So in terms of talent and the quality we have brought in, we see that we have a very good team again. But we have to wait, they will stay fit? So those who have left were fit almost the entire season. [Will] All those we brought with us do the same?
“So there are several factors that you should take into account. But again, I am really happy with the players we have brought.
“But we also lost starters who had a big impact on our title -winning season last year.”
It is something that clearly irritates that Liverpool's expenditure has spoken more about it than the players they have lost or continue in this window. He believes that it replaces and build up more instead of adding on the side that the Premier League title won on a canter last season.
“What I feel is not spoken enough – although you have to make your own decision when you talk about it – [is that] I have lost four players who have started regularly, “said Slot.” And one of them, I, we, his family, lost him. That's Diogo. Then Darwin might be about to leave. Luis Diaz was a clear starter and Trent [Alexander-Arnold] was a clear starter.
“So normally teams in the Premier League buy alone and we never sell. We both do. We have lost players in a good phase of their career. I am used to that, and it sometimes also gives new energy.”