Arne Slot has defended Liverpool’s transfer strategy and questioned the availability of several major signings after a turbulent first half of the 2025/26 season left the club trailing in the Premier League title race.
Speaking to Viaplay, as relayed by Dutch outlet Soccer News, the Liverpool manager admitted expectations were justified following a summer that saw the club spend over €450 million on new players. However, he argued that injuries and structural limitations within the budget have distorted the picture.
Liverpool currently sit sixth in the table on 45 points, 16 behind leaders Arsenal, despite opening the campaign with five consecutive league wins.
Arne Slot defends Liverpool transfer spending
Slot arrived at Anfield in 2024 and delivered a league title in his first season, raising standards immediately. Last summer’s recruitment drive only intensified belief that Liverpool would dominate again.
High-profile arrivals included Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak, the latter joining from Newcastle United for a British record fee. Hugo Ekitiké, Milos Kerkez, Jeremie Frimpong and Giovanni Leoni were also added to reshape the squad.
Slot insists the headline figure does not reflect the full financial reality.
“The fact that expectations were incredibly high after last summer was completely justified, if you look at what we spent,” he said. — Viaplay
He added that around €250m of the total outlay was structurally available after accounting for departures and reinvestment planning.
Injuries limit impact of key signings
Liverpool’s dip between September and November saw just three wins in 12 matches, prompting criticism of both Slot and the club’s aggressive transfer policy.
According to the manager, context has been overlooked.
Giovanni Leoni suffered a serious injury in September and is not expected to feature again this season. Jeremie Frimpong and Alexander Isak have also dealt with recurring fitness problems, limiting their availability since arriving late in the window.
Slot pointed to the lack of continuity as a decisive factor. “I don’t think Alexander Isak has been really fit yet. Giovanni Leoni has been out for the entire season, and Jeremie Frimpong really showed in the five or six matches he was available that he can have an impact. But when I say five or six matches, you’re really missing out on a lot.”
He also referenced the £25m signing of Giorgi Mamardashvili as a squad investment that has seen limited on-field return so far.
“We bought a second goalkeeper for £25m who hardly ever plays. That’s fine, but then you’re not using almost 250m of the 450m you spent.”
Competitive landscape adds pressure
Since the start of December, Liverpool have lost only twice in all competitions, against AFC Bournemouth and Manchester City, suggesting some stability has returned.
However, the gap to Arsenal remains significant. Slot acknowledged that rival clubs have also strengthened heavily, arguing Liverpool are not alone in spending big.
“If you sell for 300m, then we’re really an exception. Our competitors have added two, three, or four hundred million. That might explain a little bit why we’ve lost so many points, but it shouldn’t explain why we’ve lost so many.”
What’s next for Liverpool?
Liverpool face a crucial run of fixtures in March that could determine whether they can close the gap on the top four. With several injured players nearing returns, squad availability will be closely monitored over the coming weeks.
For Slot, the challenge now is translating heavy investment into consistent results. The debate around Liverpool’s transfer business is unlikely to fade until performances fully match expectations.
Will Liverpool’s summer signings justify the outlay before the season ends, or has the title race already slipped away?
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