Experts Zeroing In on £450m Outlay 'Show Bias Toward Rival Teams' – Arne Slot
Anfield head coach Arne Slot has questioned experts who “favour different teams” for their comments over the team’s transfer window spending as he gears up to give a first appearance to new signing Isak.
The last day acquisition of Sweden striker Isak from the Magpies for a British record fee of £125m took the Reds’ total outlay to £450 million pounds on eight additions.
The striker is set to make his maiden appearance for Slot’s side in their UCL group stage game against Atletico at home on midweek.
In his pre-match news conference, the Dutchman highlighted that Liverpool’s massive outlay was balanced by in excess of £250 million pounds earned in sales, having spent just £10 million pounds the prior off-season.
“We see so much focus on our recent acquisitions, especially from analysts that favour a few rival sides in the Premier League that cannot stop speaking about £450 million,” Slot remarked.
“Let me say again, £450m, £450m! But they ignore about [nearly] £300 million that we have moved on [players] for. So, of course, if we aim to strengthen the side we need to use that much money.”
Arne Slot felt the club “completed great transfers”, given all 8 of their new players are at the age of 25 or below, and the organization “ought to get credit” for the approach it has adopted.
“I think it is simply a positive that pundits inform everyone we have invested so much because that indicates you the players we brought in are seen as excellent players,” said the coach.
“Some different teams opt to bring in players in their late twenties because they are ready, but we believe we have signed individuals who are in their early twenties [and] who are ready.
“In my opinion all the cash we have spent we generated independently by transferring out, and by securing the title after we did not buy a single player at all.”
The striker did not appear in Liverpool’s one-nil win at Turf Moor on last weekend – the opening fixture since he arrived at the Reds – because he is still short of full fitness.
The forward trained alone at previous club Newcastle, in a effort to secure through his transfer to Anfield, and must undergo extra work to get up to speed after sitting out pre-season.
Isak's only appearance this season came for Sweden in an brief appearance from the sidelines in a 2-0 defeat by their opponents last week.
Arne Slot said he is “absolutely confident” the new signing will not play 90 minutes against Atletico Madrid but hinted he will play a part against the La Liga side.
“Isak is part of the squad, so it's certainly a UCL match to look forward to, but if supporters anticipate his appearance, that could indicate that could happen in the match as well,” the gaffer added.
“So the moment he is prepared, sharp, [he] can play 90, and then the next step is playing three times in a week complete games.
“And that is what he has to do; scoring goals and doing exceptional things in attack is something he will 100% do. The main obstacle he has is to become so sharp that he's primarily prepared to do what he did last season.”