Liverpool's Transfer Surprise: Missing Out on Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia to Chelsea Leaves Fans Speechless
Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville express concerns over Liverpool's transfer activity The duo criticize the club for losing out on signing Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia to Chelsea, labeling the situation as an embarrassing mess
Liverpool's transfer activity has faced criticism from Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville, particularly as Chelsea appears poised to secure the signings of both their primary midfield targets. Notably, on Monday evening, Chelsea officially completed a transfer record-breaking deal worth £115m for Moises Caicedo, despite Liverpool having previously agreed to a £111m agreement just last week.
In the meantime, the Reds have finalized a £60m deal for Romeo Lavia earlier today. However, We News has learned that the player's inclination is to join Stamford Bridge, despite the absence of an agreed deal with Chelsea.
Due to their transfer actions, or rather the absence of actions, Liverpool finds themselves lacking midfielders at the start of the Premier League season for the second consecutive year. This is a result of letting go of Jordan Henderson, Fabinho, Naby Keita, James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, and Arthur Melo, while only acquiring Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister.
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Chelsea beat Liverpool to the signing of Moises Caicedo for £115m
Carragher described Liverpool's summer as "an absolute mess, a joke and embarrassing" on Monday Night Football.
When asked about Liverpool's current position following the day's transfer activity, the pundit noted that they are in a difficult situation. He further commented that the club's decision to offer £60m for Lavia today, after declining a £50m offer a few days ago, is chaotic and laughable.
Liverpool's biggest issue lies in their failure to address the need for midfield reinforcements, which has been apparent since August of last year. Therefore, their inability to have the necessary arrangements in place is concerning. According to Carragher, this problem stems from the absence of a consistent sporting director. Michael Edwards, who played a crucial role in Liverpool's recent achievements, departed at the completion of the 2021-22 season. Although his assistant, Julian Ward, took over temporarily, his replacement lasted only one season.
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Michael Edwards departed Liverpool at the conclusion of the 2021-22 season, while Jorg Schmadtke was brought in as a temporary solution in late May. The German transfer executive was signed on a short-term agreement, which will undergo evaluation later in the year.
Carragher declined to place the blame solely on Liverpool's owners, Fenway Sports Group.
While many may assume that I defend FSG, I want to clarify that I have no personal connection with them. However, I believe that the issue lies not with the owners, but rather with the overall structure of our football club.
During Liverpool's successful period in which they emerged as Premier League champions and reached the finals of the Champions League, their approach differed from that of other teams. Despite not investing heavily in player acquisitions, they focused on nurturing talented individuals within their ranks. The presence of a highly competent manager and the expertise of Michael Edwards, who served as the director of football, alongside a transfer committee, contributed to their achievements. However, Edwards eventually departed from the club.
"Following his departure, his replacement assumed the position for a duration of six months before departing as well. The motives prompting their departure from the football club remain unknown to me. I have no insight into the underlying circumstances.
"Schmadtke, who has formed a connection with Jurgen Klopp, has joined temporarily and exclusively for the summer. His involvement is limited solely to this period before he moves on."
"They have failed to finalize any deals - and securing deals is your responsibility in that role. The two players they purchased had stipulated buy-out clauses, which required no negotiation or significant effort to complete - all they had to do was meet the specified amount. As a result, Liverpool has been unable to successfully complete any major deals, which is quite embarrassing.
"This is precisely why I won't criticize the owners - they were prepared to spend £111m and break the transfer record. However, the way they approached the signings, starting with Lavia, then changing course to focus on Caicedo, and finally reverting back to Lavia, has turned into an utter mess, a joke even, and it's truly embarrassing."
Neville: This is very un-Liverpool-like - they've got a big problem
Neville, on the other hand, holds the view that Liverpool is facing a significant issue in the final three weeks of the transfer window. He expressed astonishment at their decision to allow Henderson and Fabinho to leave for Saudi Arabia without first securing suitable replacements."If Chelsea were to acquire both of these players, it would undoubtedly raise significant concerns similar to what Liverpool has experienced over the past week. Such an occurrence is highly atypical for Liverpool," Neville expressed.
"While we are aware of Chelsea's substantial spending, their ability to outmaneuver Liverpool for both players would be truly astonishing."
"Liverpool, who are known for their smart approach of bringing in new players before letting others go, have deviated from their usual strategy by allowing Milner, Henderson, and Fabinho to leave without securing replacements. Remarkably, Liverpool were able to receive transfer fees for Milner and the other two players. Nevertheless, this situation has resulted in a significant problem for the club, as they now find themselves in a state of panic in the transfer window for the next three weeks. Such a predicament is uncharacteristic of Liverpool under Jurgen Klopp, as they have consistently demonstrated smooth and efficient operations in the transfer market. The reasons behind this unexpected turn of events may be attributed to changes in personnel."
