Pundits Zeroing In on £450 Million Spending 'Show Bias Toward Different Teams' – Liverpool Boss
Anfield manager Arne Slot has questioned pundits who “favour different clubs” for their comments over the club’s transfer window spending as he gets ready to give a maiden outing to new signing Isak.
A deadline day signing of Swedish attacker the Newcastle star from Newcastle for a record-breaking sum of £125 million pounds took the Reds’ spending to £450m on eight players.
Isak is scheduled to make his debut outing for the Reds in their UCL opener against the Spanish side at Anfield on Wednesday.
At his ahead of the game media briefing, the manager pointed out that his side’s massive outlay was countered by more than £250 million pounds recouped in sales, having invested just £10 million pounds the previous off-season.
“There is so much emphasis on our summer signings, particularly from commentators that prefer a few different teams in the Premier League that fail to stop talking about £450m,” Slot stated.
“Let me say again, £450 million pounds, £450 million pounds! But they ignore about [nearly] £300m that we have sold [players] for. So, yes, if we need to strengthen the squad we need to use that much funds.”
The manager felt his team “did smart business”, given all 8 of their signings are at the age of 25 years old or less, and the team “should get praise” for the plan it has implemented.
“From my perspective it is only a compliment that commentators inform everyone we have spent so much because that tells you the individuals we acquired are viewed as top-class players,” said the manager.
“A number of other clubs opt to bring in players in their late twenties because they are ready, but we feel we have added talent who are in their early twenties [and] who are ready.
“In my opinion all the funds we have invested we made on our own by moving on players, and by winning the title after we didn't buy anybody at all.”
Isak did not appear in the Reds’ narrow win at the Clarets on Sunday – the opening match since he arrived at the Reds – because he is still below par of sharpness.
The 25-year-old practiced alone at previous club the Magpies, in a attempt to secure through his switch to the Reds, and must undergo additional work to get fully fit after missing pre-season.
The player’s only outing this season came for his country in an cameo show from the bench in a two-nil defeat by their opponents last week.
Arne Slot said he is “100% sure” the striker will not play the full match against the Spanish club but hinted he will play a role against the La Liga side.
“The striker is included of the squad, so it's now a European match to look forward to, but if people anticipate his involvement, that could mean that could take place tomorrow as well,” the gaffer added.
“So the point he is prepared, fully fit, [he] can play the full game, and then the following stage is playing three times in a week complete games.
“And that is what he has to do; finding the net and doing special things in attack is something he will 100% do. The primary challenge he has is to become so sharp that he's first of all able to do what he did last season.”