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As the January transfer window draws to a close, Liverpool look set to refrain from doing any incoming business.
The Reds have signed only one player in the past three transfer markets, with Federico Chiesa the sole new, immediate arrival in that time.
Having only joined Liverpool over the summer, sporting director Richard Hughes is not responsible for all of that inactivity.
However, after arriving alongside the returning Michael Edwards, more had surely been expected of the former Scotland midfielder.
With Liverpool failing to strengthen yet again, supporters are growing frustrated at Hughes.
The lack of any progress on new deals for Trent Alexander-Arnold, Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk has not helped his case.
But according to former Reds defender Jamie Carragher, those taking aim at Hughes and the Liverpool owners are missing the point.
Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images
There cannot be much question that Hughes is working hard behind the scenes at the Liverpool training ground to sort both new contracts and new transfers.
But with the director operating completely in the shadows, the question marks over what he is actually doing are always going to arrive.
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Writing for The Telegraph, though, Carragher says that any criticism levelled towards the likes of Hughes, Edwards and especially Fenway Sports Group, are ‘not compelling.’
“Go online and you will read wild accusations of FSG of being tight with funds, first under Jurgen Klopp and now Slot,” says the Liverpool legend.
“They will cite the hesitation to give Salah, Van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold the new contracts they want, and well-established readiness to play the long game on recruitment.”
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“Sporting director Richard Hughes and Fenway Sports Group chief executive Michael Edwards have come under fire for not getting enough deals across the line.
“To put it mildly, the argument that FSG is a hindrance rather than help is not compelling,” Carragher adds.
“Actually, it is a bit ridiculous.”
“If Slot and Hughes had identified the right player last summer or in January, they would have been backed.
It has never been Liverpool’s way during any successful era to buy the wrong player for the sake of looking proactive.”
While you can understand Carragher’s point about FSG – they have been very good owners on the whole – the frustration over lack of movement in the transfer window is also justified.
Liverpool have signed only 11 players on permanent deals since the summer of 2021, with 20 leaving the club over the same period.
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