Liverpool can’t compete with Chelsea.
This is the weird reality we are now living in. Liverpool, who reached two Champions League finals in a row, winning one, and are poised to lift the Premier League crown, are poor.
FSG are not going to pull out their begging bowl any time soon, but there needs to be some appreciation of the financial realities at play.
Chelsea were able to buy Timo Werner, in part, because they weren’t able to recruit anyone in the summer transfer window and have made two big sales.
Eden Hazard and Alvaro Morata both left Stamford Bridge for big money, while Liverpool haven’t sold anyone for mega bucks since Philippe Coutinho in 2017.
The club have also committed £110 million worth of infrastructure upgrades, wrote Paul Gorst in the Echo, which has come at a terrible time.
What was being applauded, rightly so, has ended up being a ball and chain in regards to Jurgen Klopp’s ability to manoeuvre in the transfer market.
More from Rush The Kop
- Set to return, Virgil Van Dijk facing heavy criticism back home
- Liverpool making late comebacks all the rage once again
- Wolves tilt gives Klopp opportunity to tinker with lineup following international duty
- Players to watch in the matchup with Wolves
- Predicting Liverpool’s Next Five Premier League Fixtures
All those sales that we thought were going to bring in some serious cash will have to be reconsidered, too. The market is depressed and Liverpool might not rake in as much cash for assets like Marko Grujic, Harry Wilson or Xherdan Shaqiri.
The fact that Liverpool spend £310 million a year on wages is a big factor, too, and Georginio Wijnaldum’s contract negotiations are likely to increase that bill.
£78 million has been spent while football has been suspended, and with no match day income and a broadcasting deal to pay back, that’s going to hit any side where it hurts.
Chelsea, unlike Liverpool, are prepared to work with debt and have an owner who isn’t afraid to personally finance the club. FSG, for all their riches, are not and as a result Liverpool is run far more parsimoniously.
It’s frustrating, but it’s the world we currently live in. Money is a little bit scarce, and with no really knowledge about what the future holds it will continue to be this way.
Liverpool have got serious ambitions moving forward, but they need to be curtailed with a dose of realism and right now the fact of the matter is that they can’t compete with Chelsea.