Liverpool’s new chief executive Peter Moore insists they will not be drawn into a buying frenzy just to match their big-spending rivals but will focus on securing the best players at the right price.
While Manchester City are set to take their summer outlay to £75million (Dh354m) with Benfica goalkeeper Ederson joining Monaco playmaker Bernardo Silva – and the £100m (Dh472m) barrier looking like soon being broken by their interest in £40m-rated (Dh188m) Monaco left-back Benjamin Mendy – the Reds have signed free transfer Chelsea youth striker Dominic Solanke.
Manager Jurgen Klopp is keen to significantly strengthen his squad and is interested in Southampton centre-back Virgil van Dijk and RB Leipzig midfielder Naby Keita, among others, and that could see Liverpool’s transfer spending also extend to £100m-plus (Dh472m).
However, Moore – who is not involved in transfers as that role has been taken over by sporting director Michael Edwards but will have to sign off all expenditure – said there was still a necessity to get value for money.
“I have been involved in a company that has acquired other companies for $1billion and it hasn’t quite worked out,” said the Liverpool-born former Microsoft, EA Sports and Reebok executive on his first day at work.
“What I have learned over the years is that it is not how much you pay but what you get.
“You have a kid called Philippe Coutinho playing out there who cost £8m (Dh37m) and then you have other guys who cost four or five times that around the league.
“That is not about ‘We have spent a lot of money so we are good’ that is about ‘We have bought the right players at the right price’.
“Everyone wants to see massive money but what I want to see is talent for the right price. I might be naive in that but that seems good business.
“It’s not about saying ‘They’ve spent £100m so we will spend £100m’.
“I’m not looking at my competitor – let’s call City a competitor – spending this, therefore I need to spend that regardless of the quality of the players. That makes no business sense to me.
“Listen, we may spend £100m. Who knows? But it won’t be because they spend £100m.
“If your next door neighbour puts £50,000 into his greenhouse will you spend 50,000 quid on a greenhouse? No. You do what makes good sense for your house.
“You can expect (us) to strengthen the team. There is money to back the manager and the sporting director.”
