Why Liverpool’s August transfer history is hardly inspiring

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Ethan Golding questions Liverpool’s ability when it comes to late transfer deals and asks whether saving face is the right way to go. 

It is clear to everybody that Klopp’s side is in need of reinforcements before the season gets into full swing. Last January Liverpool’s good form dissipated in the wake of Mané’s participation in the AFCON and injury to crucial first team players such as Philippe Coutinho and Jordan Henderson.

It may only be August but the Winter period of Premier League football is one of the most, if not the most difficult, period of league football in Europe and it comes almost without warning.

As Jamie Carragher pointed out, a centre-back may not solve Liverpool’s frailties during set-pieces but Jamie Redknapp was not wrong when he pointed out that a more commanding defender would take control of the situation – something that Lovren is incapable of doing (despite what he may think) and Matip does not do consistently enough.

Virgil van Dijk’s Liverpool move hasn’t died yet and remains the target fans most want. Beyond that, there does not seem to be any outright targets. Benedikt Höwedes seems to be available for £18 – £20 million and would also provide the commanding presence that seems lacking.

Naby Keïta seems to set to remain at RB Leipzig at least until January. He does not seem likely to sign a contract extension and RBL may look to cash in on the midfielder during the January window: WARNING this is merely speculation on my part.

In recent weeks Nice’s “discount Keïta” Jean Michaël Seri has been linked with a move to Merseyside. The signing of Seri and Howedes would represent a step down from VVD and Keïta, but, combined with FSG’s firm stance on Coutinho’s future, would represent somewhat of ‘saving face’ scenario for the Club’s owners.

A third utility signing in the form of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain seemed good business at the beginning of the window but now seems insufficient with initial primary targets now seemingly unattainable.

A move for German international Julian Draxler would be great business with the PSG man available for only £40million currently. However, with the German already turning down a move to Liverpool in favour of a more lucrative PSG move and Jurgen Klopp being notorious for only wanting players who want to play for the club as well as holding a grudge, this move seems unlikely at this point in time.

Klopp has mentioned recently that had the window already closed, he would be happy to manage the squad he has and they are capable of playing football as he wants them to play. Since his arrival, Klopp has also not made a single August signing thus far.

So the question should be asked: Should Liverpool even bother signing anybody at this point?

Since Rafael Benitez’s tenure, there have only been a handful of good signings made in August and even less truly quality additions. I have compiled a list of the signings the club have made in August since 2004 and put these signings in bold and underlined them.

There are a couple of other names in bold such as Joe Allen who never lived up to the title of Welsh Xavi, but showed glimpses of real quality and during his time working under Klopp became somewhat of a cult hero.

Ultimately, I’ll leave it up to you the reader to decide whether or not you feel okay with not making a signing this month. It’s clear that the squad still needs reinforcements, that much is obvious. But across 13 years and 5 managers, Liverpool’s August business has been wholly underwhelming and at times disastrous.

The spectrum is extremely wide-ranging from Xabi Alonso to Paul Konchesky, with the majority of the list leaning towards the latter.

I am very much on the side of make signings, but only if they are of notable quality. It is not the fact that we have failed to get our top targets so far, it is the manner in which the club has failed and although signings like Howedes, Seri and Draxler would save face, perhaps not signing anybody and saving the fans from another signing of the likes of Aly Cissokho, would save face of another sort.

Let Ethan know below what you think. Should Liverpool be looking to sign players this late on in the window?