Jurgen Klopp previously claimed that Liverpool could not compete with the likes of Manchester City and PSG in the transfer market, but the Reds have spent big this summer
Liverpool are closing in on the signing of Hugo Ekitike, with the striker set to earn Eintracht Frankfurt a huge fee that could exceed the €95million (£82.3m) they received when Randal Kolo Muani joined Paris Saint-Germain if all the add-ons are met.
The Ekitike deal will take Liverpool's spending spree this summer to around £300m, which would make it the second-highest in a single transfer window in English football history behind Chelsea's in the summer of 2023.
The Reds have already signed Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen for a British-record fee, while Milos Kerkez, Jeremie Frimpong, Giorgi Mamardashvili, Armin Pecsi and Freddie Woodman have also made the move to Anfield this summer.
Liverpool's spending comes just three years after former manager Jurgen Klopp claimed "no one can compete" in the transfer market with clubs like Manchester City, PSG and Newcastle, who are all state-owned.
"Nobody can compete with City," he said in October 2022. "You have the best team in the world and you put in the best striker on the market, no matter what it costs, you just do it. I know City will not like it, nobody will like it.
"You've asked the question but you know the answer. What does Liverpool do? We cannot act like them. It is not possible. Not possible. It is just clear and again you know the answer. There are three clubs in world football who can do what they want financially.
"It's legal and everything, fine, but they can do what they want. They will say 'yeah but we have...' but it's exactly the fact. I heard now that at Newcastle somebody said 'there is no ceiling for this club'.
"Yes! He is right. He is absolutely right. There is no ceiling for Newcastle. Congratulations, but other clubs have ceilings."
When Klopp left Liverpool in 2024, the Reds had the lowest net spend among the 'Big Six' clubs and they made just one signing in Arne Slot's first season in charge with Federico Chiesa joining from Juventus for around £12.5m.
However, things have clearly changed this summer as Liverpool look to build on last season's successes. They are also England's most profitable club and have raised funds in recent seasons with the sales of Jarell Quansah, Caoimhin Kelleher, Fabio Carvalho and Sepp van den Berg.
young_boss
12
Just see how Liverpool signed Ekitike without pollution (noise). but arsenal are yet to finalize Gyokeres issue. I pray man U hijack the transfer.
rokblnpy
11
it's either you are jealous of Liverpool. or don't understand economics you don't know mathematics or both.liverpool's books are balanced. For your own information Liverpool did not spend last season. They saved money. They made money by winning the league. Also they sold some of their players recouped some of the money they spend. The source of their money is transparent even for a blind person to see.So how can you investigate something you already know. Because there's nothing to investigate. By the sound of your tone you must be a city fan.l '"m very sure you even as city fan you can't explain the source of city ' s money. At we 've got people who did economics in our board members. Hence our books are balanced.