Arne Slot has hit back at pundits ‘favouring other clubs’ who have criticised Liverpool’s incredible summer spending spree.
After winning the Premier League last term, the Reds splashed out a whopping £450million during the transfer window on eight new recruits.
They smashed their record transfer twice, first with the £110m signing of Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen and later with the addition of Alexander Isak from Newcastle for a fee worth £125m.
It’s hoped that such a spend will help Liverpool get over the line in their pursuit of the Champions League, a competition they haven’t won since 2019.
They begin their campaign against Atletico Madrid at Anfield tomorrow and, ahead of the fixture, Arne Slot addressed pundits who have criticised his summer spending.
‘There is so much focus on our new signings, especially from pundits that favour some other clubs in the country that cannot stop talking about £450m,’ he said in his press conference.
Arne Slot has hit back at pundits ‘favouring other clubs’ who have criticised Liverpool’s incredible summer spending spree
The Reds begin their Champions League campaign at home against Atletico Madrid on Wednesday
‘I repeat, £450m, £450m! But they forget about the £300m that we have sold.
‘So, yes, if we want to strengthen the squad we need to spend that much money. If we sell Dominik Szoboszlai tomorrow he would be worth £100m as well.
‘I think it is only a compliment that people tell everyone we have spent so much because that tells you the players we brought in are seen as very good players.
‘I think we did great business; we brought in great players and to add to that, we have already lowered the age of the players.
‘Some other teams prefer to bring in 27-year-olds because they are ready but we think we have brought in players who are 21, 22 who are ready.
‘And then if they are still with you in four or five years, we can sell (someone like) Luis Diaz for £65m. But it is harder to sell him for £65m if he is already 32.
‘That is our model and I think we should get praise. I think all the money we have spent we generated ourselves by selling and by winning the league after we didn’t buy anyone at all.’
The Liverpool boss also revealed that Alexander Isak will be included in his matchday squad for Wednesday’s clash with Atletico.
Liverpool’s record signing Alexander Isak could make his debut against Atletico
The Swede has played just 20 minutes of football so far this season and was left out of his new side’s squad to face Burnley on the weekend
The 25-year-old was left out of Liverpool’s squad against Burnley on the weekend due to a lack of fitness having played just 20 minutes so far this season in an international game.
While admitting that he ‘definitely’ won’t play 90 minutes, the Reds’ Dutch boss said Isak’s debut could well come at Anfield tomorrow.
Slot said: ‘He is part of the squad, so it’s already a Champions League game to look forward to, but if people look forward to his playing time, that could mean that could happen tomorrow as well.
‘So the moment he is fit, match fit, (he) can play 90, and then the next step is playing three times in a week 90 minutes.
‘And that is what he has to do; scoring goals and doing special things in attack is something he will 100% do. The main challenge he has is to become so fit that he’s first of all ready to do what he did last season.’
Liverpool have won all of their four Premier League games so far this term and host their Merseyside rivals Everton on Saturday.
