Journalist Paul Gorst has warned a poor transfer window could set Liverpool back years after expressing his fear over their chances of qualifying for the Champions League.
Gorst has claimed that January will be a “massive month” for the Reds, with the club in a delicate position as they attempt to finish in the top four with a successful transfer window potentially the catalyst to secure that spot amid a lacklustre start to the campaign.
Liverpool have so far been well below the levels set over the past couple of seasons under Jurgen Klopp.
The Reds currently sit sixth in the Premier League, seven points off fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur and 15 behind early-season pacesetters Arsenal.
A mix of poor form and injuries have hampered their season, with the transfer window the perfect time to bring fresh blood into the squad – something that Gorst told the Blood Red podcast needs to happen – or Liverpool could be affected for years to come, particularly in light of FSG looking to sell up.
He said: “I think you’ve got to speculate to accumulate, essentially. Because if Liverpool don’t get in the top four this season, it’s going to set them back years.
“You can’t really afford not to have the Champions League money, and let’s face it, they look more of a glamourous prospect for any external investors or outright buyers if they’re a club who are in the Champions League as well.
“Maybe now is the time to be a little bit more bold, to take a little gamble here or there. Because if they don’t and it doesn’t quite come off for them, then you’re looking at next season and they’re not in the Champions League.
“This is a massive month for Liverpool coming up.”
TIF Thoughts on Gorst’s comments…
It isn’t wrong to question where Liverpool could turn if they fail to qualify for the Champions League, with The Athletic reporting that FSG are open to selling either minority or majority shares in the club.
Liverpool’s most-tipped signing is that of midfielder Jude Bellingham, but a January deal looks massively unlikely, and a failure to finish in the top four could have major implications on such a deal if there is less finance available and subsequent FFP regulations become tighter.
Last January, the Reds signed Luis Diaz for a fee potentially rising to £49m. He went on to bag six goals and five assists and proved a real breath of fresh air to Liverpool with his goals, helping the side to a Champions League final and finish the league season unbeaten following his arrival.
A January signing would have to have a similar effect as the Colombian’s, who is still out injured. We think Klopp needs a new star with Liverpool’s future beyond this season potentially resting on what happens over the course of the next month, but with Bellingham reportedly out of the picture in the short term, we are intrigued as to what the German has up his sleeve as he aims to rescue his team’s campaign.