Tottenham and Liverpool are facing very similar fates this summer. Both sides are paying for past transfer mistakes, by being stuck with a plethora of highly paid players on their books that they simply can’t get rid of.
Liverpool have spent a lot of money over the last decade or so, and are now left with a big squad of players that they can’t shift. A number of players were bought for large sums of money and have failed to live up to their fees. Other players were brought in on free transfers, with Liverpool paying out huge signing on fees. Players like Joe Cole, Phillip Degen, and Milan Jovanovic have shown little to nothing to justify their huge wages. Their wage bill is worrying, especially with Uefa’s financial fair play rules coming into action next year.
Liverpool are paying the price for a history of mismanaged transfer funding, unwise spending and player contracts that made little long-term sense. The number of expensive failures far outnumber the good players brought in and this affected standards and perfomance at the club. Given their performance over the last few years and the current financial position of the club, you would think they would act smarter and safer in the transfer market, yet they have again gone out and spent big money over the summer. Although it appears that their transfer strategy has changed, with them at least spending money on younger players who might have some selling on value in the future, although probably not at a profit, considering the money they are spending.
Liverpool have faced the task this summer of trying to move on some of this deadwood at the club, such as Cole, Degen, Brad Jones and the others who are draining the wage bill. The sales of these players would free up money which could have benefitted their summer spending even further.
They have managed to move on Paul Konchesky for a fraction of what they paid for him and they have moved Jovanovic on for free. Is it best for the reds to just cut their losses and move players like Cole on? They aren’t contributing, are draining the club of funds and there is no one willing to match their massive wage demands, so it is difficult to see how they would shift many of these players other than letting them move on for free.
lverpool havechanged their policy but there is simply too many of these poor players at the club. i believe we would have already signed a LB and CB had we already got rid of these players, the longer it goes the weaker our position is,unfortunetly all the clubs know this.
the difference is, last season we doubted these signings but they didnt cost a lot of money,…well not in football money! and this season we are doubting these signing but they have cost a lot of money! i dread to think if they dont produce the goods.
on a side note, i think cole deserves 1 more season, he still has it in him it just needs to be unlocked again