OPINION
Liverpool look set to complete a summer of big spending without bringing in a replacement for Philippe Coutinho, and their logic in not pursuing a long-touted target has now been revealed.
As reported by The Times, Reds boss Jurgen Klopp did not submit a bid for Borussia Dortmund forward Christian Pulisic this summer because his numbers do not represent value for money.
The newspaper claim that Liverpool would not even think about paying £62million, the reported asking price for the USA international, for a player who would be likely to start his Anfield career on the bench.
Pulisic has scored seven goals and provided 14 assists in the Bundesliga for Dortmund over the past two seasons, and those numbers would put the 19-year-old well out of contention for a starting place at Anfield.
While that logic makes sense, and is understandable considering the wealth of attacking options at Liverpool right now, it also misses the point somewhat.
Pulisic is one of the world’s most promising young players, and while his numbers may not be too impressive right now, that is only to be expected considering his tender years.
There is no doubt that the youngster would add huge depth to Liverpool’s attacking options, which was an issue for the Reds last season.
Granted, Xherdan Shaqiri has already been brought in for that purpose, but Pulisic’s potential vastly outweighs that of Shaqiri, who is approaching his prime at 26 years old.
This is a prime opportunity for Liverpool to secure a player for the future who would also be a brilliant option now, while also expanding their influence within the American market.
Pulisic has been pinpointed as the player who will bring football into the mainstream in America, and the commercial possibilities for the club he is playing for are endless.
The Reds would surely receive a healthy off-pitch return on their £62million investment, while also seeing brilliant on-pitch rewards as Pulisic develops in the coming years.
And, if the club don’t move for Pulisic in the coming days, the likelihood is that he may join one of their rivals, with Chelsea heavily linked with a move.
That would quite frankly be a disaster for the club, who would merely be able to watch on as Chelsea reap the rewards of their investment in the 19-year-old.
Overall this looks like a misinformed decision from the club, who have taken a horrendously short-sighted view of what would have been a long-term investment.
