'Core part' of FSG business plan is to blame for Liverpool's slow summer

Liverpool’s summer has been ‘hit’ by one of FSG’s core business principles. There’s still time to turn it all into a positive, though.

Liverpool, as you may have noticed, are yet to sign any players this summer. The Reds are the only Premier League side where that's the case and one of remarkably few across Europe.

Up until recently, that was all also true for moving players on. Liverpool have now made some moves there, though, with Fabio Carvalho heading to Brentford, while Lewis Koumas has joined Stoke City on loan.

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There's also talk that Bobby Clark could be off to RB Salzburg and Stefan Bajcetic could reportedly leave on loan. There's a little bit of a 'clearout' with the younger players and Jurgen Klopp's kids won't be in and around the first team, it seems.

On the face of it, then, Liverpool are moving away from their youngsters. It was a large part of the plan under Klopp but the sense here is that they're not wanting to put too much faith in the kids.

The Athletic, though, says that's very much not the case - and the timing of these reports is actually the telling thing.

FSG's core plan

The Athletic report that promoting from youth and developing talent remains one of the core principles of FSG's business plan. What is actually happening right now, then, is the result of Liverpool giving their youngsters every chance to impress Arne Slot this summer.

Once the tour was over, Slot had an idea of who might actually play a part this summer - and who would benefit more from leaving. Some youngsters earned their place, with Jarell Quansah clearly impressing Slot as much as he did Klopp. Conor Bradley retains his place in the squad, too.

Carvalho didn't quite force his way up the pecking order and Liverpool decided to sell. Bajcetic won't get the football he needs, so a loan makes sense - the same as Kaide Gordon and Koumas.

There are a couple of others where things remain to be seen - Sepp van den Berg top of that particular list.

The other side of it is Liverpool not wanting to sign anyone in the way of these players until they know the kids can't quite do the job. Hence waiting this long before pushing for Martin Zubimendi in midfield.

That's resulted in a slow summer but one that should give Liverpool's biggest young talents what they need to push on.