Signings Are Needed, but Liverpool Fans Must Trust Jurgen Klopp’s Long-Term View

With two weeks of the transfer window remaining, at the time of writing, clubs around Europe are readying for their final moves in the transfer window.

This year, the final day of the summer window occurs during an international break, meaning managers will be able to focus on any final incoming or outgoing players, as opposed to previous years when you’ve had the farcical situation where teams are playing on the final day of the window.

That managers will have more time to work doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t expect the usual last-minute deals on deadline day, especially with the new TV money that has skewed the market and seen prices rocket this summer. Never has the Premier League’s riches been so desperately sought after.

For Liverpool, most of their business in the final weeks and days will be players departing Anfield, with seven first-team squad members likely to join the seven who have already left so far this summer.

Christian Benteke, Mario Balotelli, Andre Wisdom, Tiago Ilori, Lucas Leiva, Lazar Markovic and Luis Alberto are all highly likely to leave, whether on permanent deals or temporary loans. Cameron Brannagan is also expected to leave on loan.

The sales of up to seven more first-team players will swell Liverpool’s finances, with the club so far having a net spend of just over £15 million this summer, according to This Is Anfield. That figure will be wiped out once Benteke departs, with the Reds seeking around £30 million for the out-of-favour Belgian, as explained by Chris Bascombe of the Telegraph.

Add in smaller fees for Wisdom, Ilori, Lucas and Alberto, Liverpool will have recouped over £80 million this summer, having so far spent just under £62 million on seven new signings.

Add in the aforementioned TV money, and it’s clear that Jurgen Klopp has the money there to spend if he wants to in this final fortnight. 

Squad Strength

What Klopp has done so far this summer is strengthen Liverpool’s attack and add depth down the spine of the side.

The acquisition of Loris Karius, and to a certain extent Alex Manninger as third-choice, strengthens the goalkeeper options.

The additions of Ragnar Klavan and Joel Matip, replacing the outgoing Kolo Toure and Martin Skrtel, give Liverpool more balance and strength at centre-back. Once Matip and Mamadou Sakho are fit, Klopp will have two good options for each centre-back role, and two good backup players for each side, too.

Matip and new arrival Marko Grujic, who was signed in January but only joined up with the Reds this summer, add height to the side. There’s a steely edge to most of Klopp’s buys this summer; players who are robust, mentally strong and physically capable.

The additions of Georginio Wijnaldum and Sadio Mane add to an already-strong set of options in attacking midfield, but crucially they allow for more tactical flexibility and unpredictability in the final third.

As evidenced in the opening game against Arsenal, Klopp’s change to a 4-3-3 formation with Roberto …

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