Gary Neville says Liverpool owners FSG have been left ‘shocked’ by Arsenal’s transfer deal for Declan Rice and Chelsea signing Enzo Fernandez, both for ‘£100+ million’.
The former Manchester United defender stated that those running the ship at Liverpool can’t compete, from a financial aspect, with the likes of Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal and Todd Boehly-owned Chelsea, as he told The Overlap.
Two seasons ago, Manchester City broke the British transfer record by signing Jack Grealish for £100 million from Aston Villa – fast forward to the present and two players have since surpassed that record, Declan Rice and Enzo Fernandez – that’s where Neville thinks Liverpool can’t compete.
What is crazier is that more players could yet beat that, such as sought-after Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder, Moises Caicedo.
It has left Liverpool in a spot of bother with their need to bring in midfield players this summer – Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai – are through the doors, but they had clauses in their contracts, plus they arrived when Jordan Henderson and Fabinho were still at the club.
Either way, Neville discussed Liverpool’s issues, what’s brewing in the background and how deals, such as Rice going to Arsenal and Fernandez moving to Stamford Bridge, have harmed them.
“I think with Liverpool, and I have said this, it is coming this moment,” said Neville. “The last two years. Chelsea have spent huge. Arsenal have spent huge. Manchester United have spent huge. Man City are Man City.
“I think it has caught them out. It has caught the owners out. They haven’t got the money to compete. I think it has shocked them, the market.
“The Bellingham deal 100 odd million. Rice £100 million. Fernandez £100 million. Caicedo £100 million. I think they are at £50-60 million and I think they are comfortable there. I think they are at a point where they have hit the ceiling at a lower level than the other four or five clubs.
“And it’s going to come and hit them like a ton of bricks, at some point.”
Liverpool’s push for Lavia
It seems as though Liverpool are struggling to get a deal done for Southampton teenager, Romeo Lavia, which says a lot about their current situation.
Jamie Carragher recently expressed his frustrations at it, with even more offers being rejected.
Given that the Saints are now a Championship club and Liverpool can’t get a deal for a player that was sat on their bench for their opener on Friday night, well, that says it all.
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