Richard Hughes looking to repeat GENIUS summer gamble

Liverpool’s business, or lack of, in the transfer market has been controversial among supporters for some time.

In the summer it was only Federico Chiesa that arrived as backup for the newly appointed Arne Slot, although a deal was also agreed to bring in Giorgi Mamardashvili next summer too.

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For many supporters this wasn’t enough, and the fact that Liverpool have publicly missed out on a number of targets in recent years doesn’t help the situation.

The Reds have remained a force to be reckoned with on the pitch however, and the business model used by owners Fenway Sports Group has brought almost every trophy available back to Anfield in recent seasons.

Hughes repeating summer gamble

One of the many names linked with a Liverpool move in the summer was Leny Yoro, who at the time played for Lille.

Despite being interested, the Reds bowed out of the race due to Lille’s asking price and the then-18-year-old defender made a £52 million switch to Manchester United instead.

Richard Hughes has since been proven right about Yoro, with the Frenchman yet to live up to his huge price tag, and Liverpool’s sporting director could do the same this January with Omar Marmoush.

The Egyptian has long been linked with a move to Anfield, but it now looks as though he will be heading to Manchester City instead.

Although Liverpool appear to have missed out on their target, the fee City are paying is rumoured to be close to double the £40 million the Reds were quoted in the summer.

How badly did Liverpool need Marmoush?

One of the key areas the Reds need to strengthen is the centre forward position, with Diogo Jota perennially injured and Darwin Nunez struggling to find his feet under Slot.

Omar Marmoush was heavily linked at certain points this season. However, he will now be joining Manchester City as confirmed by Fabrizio Romano on a whopping €80 million deal.

Nunez redeemed himself somewhat with an injury time brace to rescue three points against Brentford on Saturday, but his long-term future at the club is still in question.

Despite Liverpool’s apparent need for a striker, the fee that City will reportedly pay for Marmoush, €80 million, is so large that Hughes could once again be right to step away from negotiations.

If Marmoush doesn’t hit the ground running it could look like a big overspend from Pep Guardiola, and whilst Manchester City may be able to afford such a miss-step, Liverpool cannot.

Only time will tell whether Hughes was right to back down, but his track record with Yoro shows that he may well be, and Liverpool could have just saved themselves a fortune with his genius decision to steer clear.

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