Liverpool aren’t set to do much in the 2019 summer transfer window – but then it isn’t the one to watch.
It’s nearly the end of July and not only are there no first-team arrivals at Anfield, there aren’t any strong links, either.
There’s nothing like last year, where Fabinho arrived early and Alisson Becker felt inevitable. Naby Keita had signed a deal a year in advance, too, guaranteeing fresh faces.
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But this year, nothing. Sepp van den Berg has arrived but he’s only 17 and not a first-team player. Harvey Elliot, another teenager, should join soon, too.
So why the slow window? Why have the European champions opted not to bolster their squad? The simplest explanation is that they don’t really need to – the squad is very strong and they’re all winners. The more complicated is that they’re set to take some risks.
Risks like relying on Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Adam Lallana to offer options in midfield, despite their injury woes. Or not replacing Alberto Moreno and instead promoting from within to support Andy Robertson at left-back.
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Then there’s the attack. We know full well that the front three won’t be raring to go when the season starts. They all featured prominently in international tournaments and haven’t had pre-seasons.
Despite that, no support has been signed. Instead, Divock Origi – a player who looked likely to leave a year ago – and Rhian Brewster – coming off the back of a serious injury and with no senior experience – will back them up.
These are all real risks, relying on untested or injury-prone players. Given that we’re in the middle of the 2019 summer transfer window, it’s quite strange to do that.
But that’s why the upcoming January window should interest fans more. Liverpool may have got it right or wrong this summer – we don’t know yet.
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We will know in six months’ time, though. If they’ve got it right, then it’s smooth sailing towards the end of the season.
If they’ve got it wrong, then the January window is when the big money may be spent to correct those mistakes. We saw it in 2018 with Virgil van Dijk and we may just see it again.
Although, quite honestly, we should all be hoping it’s as dull as this summer’s window.