OPINION
Michael Edwards has been working hard behind the scenes and doing canny business to ensure Liverpool get maximum value from all their players this summer.
Some people might think that Liverpool paid over the odds for Brazil and Roma goalkeeper Alisson, after he arrived in a deal reported to be for £65million.
And it’s true that Roma would still have been smarting over selling Mohamed Salah to Liverpool last summer for just £36.9million. That’s already less than £1m a goal.
However, Liverpool needed a goalie, they wanted Alisson and Roma had initially asked for £90million by sporting director Monchi back in May, according to the Liverpool Echo.
They were quoted £75million last month and finally settled on £65million, with £56million up front and £9million in performance add-ons. That’s a big saving.
Now it looks like they’re going to recoup £12.5million for their third-choice keeper Danny Ward.
For someone who’s played just three times for Liverpool and twice in the Premier League, that’s another bit of canny business.
What’s more, the Liverpool Echo claim that Edwards has negotiated a 20% sell-on fee that could net Liverpool even more money in the future.
In the crazy world of the Premier League, the amounts of money thrown around might be obscene, but in Edwards, Liverpool have got someone who knows what he’s doing and makes every million count.
In Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool have a football genius. In Edwards they have a transfer genius. The two combined could be enough to finally land Liverpool the Premier League title.
