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Arsenal

Naby Keita, Jurgen Klopp’s forgotten men and Liverpool’s transfer mistakes


It is easy to understand why many believe Liverpool’s recruitment maestros can do no wrong.

After all, Michael Edwards and Co. were responsible for signing Virgil van Dijk, Alisson, Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane to turn Jurgen Klopp’s side into Champions League and Premier League winners.

There is no doubt that the Reds have pulled off some tremendous business in recent years, not just in terms of incomings.

The £105million sale of Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona, whilst a blow at the time, has looked increasingly like a deal which hugely favoured Liverpool.

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Other players on the fringes such as Mahamdou Sakho (£24m to Crystal Palace), Dominic Solanke (£19m to Bournemouth), Danny Ward (£12.5m to Leicester) and Danny Ings (£18m to Southampton) were moved on for significant fees.

But this season has seen costly mistakes which have generally gone under the radar come to the fore.

Perhaps they are human after all?

Liverpool's recruitment team have been considered the gold standard in recent years
Liverpool’s recruitment team have been considered the gold standard in recent years

Naby Keita has found himself firmly in the spotlight after being hauled off by Jurgen Klopp before half-time against Real Madrid.

The midfielder, who cost £52.75million from RB Leipzig and arrived ahead of the 2018/19 season, has been threatened to breakthrough and show his worth.

But, now in his third season in the Premier League, he continues to be on the periphery without being able to kick-on.

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Analysis by Smarter Scout has recently shown that Keita has cost an average of £18,700 for each minute he has played for the Reds.

Naby Keita was hauled off before half-time in Madrid after a miserable performance
Naby Keita was hauled off before half-time in Madrid after a miserable performance

For context, that is around double the cost of the next most-expensive midfielder signed by a Premier League club in 2018.

At present, it is looking increasingly like Keita was an expensive miss from the Reds recruitment team.

Midfield is the heart of many of Liverpool’s problems at present and Keita is not the only big-money signing failing to deliver much impact.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has been blighted by injuries but managed just 12 appearances this term. The return on their £35million investment from Arsenal has been minimal, albeit due to some bad luck.

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Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's contribution for Liverpool has been minimal after injuries
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s contribution for Liverpool has been minimal after injuries

The jury is still out on Thiago Alcantara, who was widely considered a prime example of Liverpool’s recruitment model in action when signed from Bayern Munich for £20million this summer.

With his performances improving, it is too early to reach a conclusion.

Yet against Real Madrid it was Georginio Wijnaldum handed the captain’s armband, another example of where Liverpool’s recent business has been sloppy.

Wijnaldum looks set to depart the club for free at the end of the season having been unable to agree a new contract.

Having been caught up in their Premier League title campaign, the Reds failed to either secure a new deal for the Dutchman or sell him on for a fee to reinvest elsewhere.

Reds chiefs have failed to tie Gini Wijnaldum down to a new contract and face losing him for nothing
Reds chiefs have failed to tie Gini Wijnaldum down to a new contract and face losing him for nothing

It now looks increasingly likely the last year of his service will be a wasted year without adding any silverware before he departs for nothing in the summer.

Whilst Liverpool have suffered an injury crisis, there are countless examples of forgotten men in Jurgen Klopp’s squad.

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One of those, Kostas Tsimikas, was a summer signing for £11.75million who has made just six appearances having been expected to offer cover for Andy Robertson.

Another, Takumi Minamino, was offloaded to Southampton on loan having failed to carve out a role just six months after his £7.5million move from Red Bull Salzburg.

Both Tsimikas and Minamino were hailed as low-risk, high-reward signings who perfectly fitted the Liverpool model.

Konstantinos Tsimikas has barely played for Liverpool and been a forgotten man
Konstantinos Tsimikas has barely played for Liverpool and been a forgotten man

Instead, neither has made much of an impact, whilst the money spent on the duo presumably contributed to the decision not to replace Dejan Lovren when he left last summer.

Injuries since then have been unfortunate and unpredictable, but failing to replace Lovren has proved a killer blow.

Other forgotten men still at the club include Divock Origi and Xherdan Shaqiri, barely getting a look-in for Klopp’s side.

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The likes of Harry Wilson and Marko Grujic are out on loan and the Reds have clearly had recent struggles when looking to offload their squad players.

Marko Grujic is one of several fringe players Liverpool have been unable to permanently offload
Marko Grujic is one of several fringe players Liverpool have been unable to permanently offload

In days gone by, they would have been sold on for big money, but their insistence on holding out for premium fees has proved costly.

Grujic, for instance, impressed at Hertha Berlin and they were keen to make his move permanent.

Instead, Liverpool held out for a fee they were unwilling to pay and they will now welcome him back in the summer after another loan move to Porto has not worked out.

“They certainly want to make money on me,” Grujic recently said. “The English are quite demanding during the negotiations. They do not lack money and can close the amount they want. So it is with me.

“It was unrealistic that they asked for €20m for me, so the loan was the most realistic.”

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Liverpool’s recruitment team has had clear wins, and Diogo Jota has proved another of those this season since his surprising move from Wolves.

But amongst the back drop of a disappointing season, it is perhaps time to accept that they have also had their fair share of misses as well.

Keita’s struggles, Wijnaldum’s contract situation, Tsimikas and Minamino’s lack of impact and the fact the likes of Origi and Shaqiri have not been offloaded highlight Liverpool’s top brass are not immune from mistakes.





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