A dramatic derby win may have boosted momentum, but questions around Liverpool’s long-term squad planning haven’t gone away, with Jamie Carragher now outlining exactly what he believes we still need in the transfer market.
The former defender has been reflecting on the club’s recent recruitment and, despite some positives, he doesn’t think last summer’s spending has fully delivered yet.
Speaking to the Liverpool Echo, the Sky Sports pundit admitted that while it’s too early to completely write players off, there is still plenty more required from those who arrived.
“[The big-spending summer] hasn’t worked, it might work in the future because I don’t think you can judge every signing in the first year.
“But I’ve said this before, my experience as a Liverpool player; every player who came to the club, I can’t remember one who didn’t really do much in his first season and then was a revelation afterwards.
“Some took a few months, you might get to Christmas, maybe second half of the season, so I think there’s a lot to do for the players who has come in. Hugo Ekitike has done well, not amazing but he’s done well.
“Isak hasn’t got going, he obviously got the injury but he didn’t look great to start with, Wirtz has got to do a lot more, an awful lot more when you think of the price that Liverpool have paid for him.”
Those comments echo his previous concerns about the attacking unit, where performances haven’t consistently matched expectations despite the obvious talent in the squad.
Despite acknowledging that improvement could come internally, the 48-year-old still believes we must act decisively in the next window.
“In terms of what Liverpool need to do next season, well obviously they need to replace Salah. I think for me three players need to come straight into the team.
“For me, you need to replace Mo Salah obviously. Liverpool need a right-back, they have fudged a few things there, they gave Conor Bradley his chance, he got another injury.
“Jeremie Frimpong has done all right actually. I think he has done OK.
“But for me, I think Frimpong should be the back-up right-winger to the one that we buy in the summer. And I think Conor Bradley can fight with a new right-back that comes in.”
It’s a clear challenge laid down, particularly with Salah leaving this summer and Alexander Isak is lacking fitness but John Aldridge thinks he must be forced to play the full 90 minutes.
Carragher’s view also aligns with wider concerns about balance in the squad, especially with Andy Robertson also departing and questions over depth in key positions.
For now, the late victory at Hill Dickinson Stadium keeps us firmly in control of our Champions League push, but if we want to build something stronger next season, the message from one of our own is simple – evolution, not just patience, is required.
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We can’t defend, the midfield can’t tackle and we don’t score enough goals. Just three signings won’t improve anything. Frimpong offers nothing as a winger and he’s injury prone, just like Bradley. Wirtz wherever you play him doesn’t do enough in the final third, how many goals has he got, how many assists.
With Ekitike out injured, he’s out for a long time we are relying on Isak. Isak looks a shadow of what he was at Newcastle. Sell him back to Newcastle and sell wirtz frimpong and Kirkez.
Will giving konate a new contract improve his performances. As a football club we have massively declined since klopp departed. We are not competitive at top end anymore. Three new players won’t make any difference, the most important person at any club is the manager.
Manchester United and Chelsea have spent billions, what have they won? We are now in the same boat as them. Without an elite coach. We can only sink further with slot.
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