Liverpool set for TRANSFORMATIVE £480m summer transfer spend

Liverpool declined the opportunity to sign any new players in the winter transfer window. Instead, focus has been turned towards the summer market, when the club could splash the cash on several new signings.

According to a report in the Telegraph, Liverpool could be set to return to “big-ticket” transfers that echo the deals which took Alisson Becker and Virgil van Dijk to the club.

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“No major signings in two transfer windows suggests that the club are turning to the policy of big-ticket signings, like those of Virgil van Dijk and Alisson Becker, when they paid big fees for players whom they considered transformational,” writes Sam Wallace.

Fans have had to get used to “opportunistic” signings under FSG in recent times and Liverpool tend to match their spending to sums received in return.

However we could see some big-name arrivals next summer in the shape of Alexander Isak, Castello Lukeba - as well as potential replacements for Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold.

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Van Dijk cost £75m and Alisson came in for £66.8, meaning the club could well be initially setting out to spend just over £140m. And since Fabinho (£39m) and Naby Keita (£52m) were added around the same time, let’s bring that spending up to £232.8m.

How Liverpool can generate £248m in sales

But how much Liverpool have got to spend may also depend on how many players they can sell. We know that plenty of forward players will be made available and if Liverpool do the right deals then they could generate £248m in extra spending.

Here’s how:

Darwin Nunez was heavily courted by Saudi Arabian clubs during the winter transfer window with Liverpool ultimately declining to complete a deal due to a lack of alternatives available in the market. Any team capable of matching the Reds’ £75 million valuation of the Uruguayan can probably have him.

Luis Diaz’s status is less clear-cut. It’s believed the Colombian remains unhappy with his current contract. Signed in 2022 from Porto for £37.5m, the 28-year-old is still on the same terms - said to be £55,000 per week - as he was when he joined.

He is under contract until 2027 and if no breakthrough can be made over a new deal then he could be sold while his value remains relatively high. Recent reports linking Diaz to Barcelona suggest the Reds will ask for €80m (£66m) to sell him.

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The future of Caoimhin Kelleher is also up in the air. That’s due to the signing of Giorgi Mamardashvili, a transfer which spells the end of the 26-year-old’s hopes of being No1 at Anfield.

No team met Liverpool’s asking price of £25m last summer and, with Kelleher’s contract ticking down to its 2026 expiry, it will likely be less than that this year. Still, Liverpool should be able to command around £20m for one of the best keepers in the Premier League.

Last summer it appeared Tyler Morton was destined to leave on a permanent basis. Several Bundesliga and Championship sides expressed interest in the midfielder but no team were ultimately able to get a deal over the line.

He stayed put but has had a season from hell. The 22-year-old is injured and was subject of a £10m bid from Middlesbrough in winter. If that is a benchmark for what Liverpool can expect from suitors next summer then it will boost the club’s transfer coffers even further.

It’s been a frustrating season for Federico Chiesa, whose entourage informed Liverpool of his desire to return to Serie A in January. However, the Italy international remains on the books but has yet to pull up any trees.

That brings the total to over £480m

His low-cost transfer from Juventus was due primarily to an expiring contract in Turin but he is unlikely to garner much more than the £12m-odd that Liverpool paid despite a contract until 2028.

Arsenal have been linked with Diogo Jota, who could well be sacrificed for a new player arriving in his place. The 28-year-old is another whose contract expires in 2027 and his injury record is patchy to say the least.

Arsenal were listed among the potential destinations for the Portugal goal-getter, who could fetch around £40m in the transfer market.

Liverpool have been tipped to strengthen next summer at left-back with the likes of Antonee Robinson, Milos Kerkez and Rayan Ait-Nouri among the players linked. Andy Robertson has been sharing duties this season with Kostas Tsimikas but the Greek likely has no long-term future at the club.

The 28-year-old was reportedly offered to Barcelona last summer and could well be made available again. He is under contract until 2027 and could bring in around £25m should any team come forward.

If Liverpool manage to offload those players then it frees up around £248m of transfer spending, which could then be lavished on two or three marquee signings.

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Added to the earlier sums echoing the fees for Van Dijk, Alisson, Fabinho and Keita, that gives Liverpool around £480.8m in potential spending.

The club will need a new centre-forward and a new centre-back before considering a replacement for Salah. This promises to be an exciting window for the Reds if they can finally deliver on their awesome power in the market.

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