‘Pep having to sell De Bruyne to buy Ederson & Laporte…’ Carra excellent explains Klopp / Guardiola achievement difference

Posted by

Jamie Carragher has written a long and very interesting piece about why Jurgen Klopp is still the most important man at Liverpool and any discussion on replacing him is ridiculous.

Liverpool are enduring a very difficult Premier League campaign, but are still in the Champions League and our performance against Rb Leipzig hints at a longer run in Europe’s prized competition.

We’ve had the worst season in terms of injuries of any side in living memory – coupled with mental fatigue of having had to win every game for the previous 30 months.

It caught up with Klopp’s Reds – mentally and physically – but there is absolutely no way anyone else could have achieved what he has at Anfield.

“Nobody else could have achieved what Klopp has since 2015, delivering trophies and connecting with the fans,” Carra wrote in his Telegraph column.

“That is why – as a Liverpool supporter – I would not want anyone else in charge of the club under this particular ownership model. I include Pep Guardiola. 

“Klopp’s net spend in his time at Anfield is £110 million – far less than Manchester City, United, Spurs, Arsenal and even Everton during the same period.

“Since winning the Champions League in 2019, Liverpool have spent £94 million to City’s £300 million. These numbers are often ‘balanced’ with comments about earlier world-record fees for Virgil Van Dijk and Alisson Becker, even though the comparison does not hold given Liverpool raised funds by selling their best player in 2018, Philippe Coutinho. The equivalent would have been Guardiola having to sell Kevin De Bruyne to afford Ederson and Aymeric Laporte.”

Guardiola’s City team is a brilliant one. They play amazing football and their manager deserves credit for it. But he admits himself, he wouldn’t have been able to do it without money – and City are the most expensively assembled side in football history.

Liverpool’s net-spend under FSG is akin to a mid-table side, yet we’re still competing with clubs run by petro-states.

Klopp is going to turn this around. Trust him and support his players.

More Stories Aymeric Laporte Ederson Jamie Carragher Kevin De Bruyne

10 Comments

  1. What Jamie doesn’t explain is where the Liverpool money goes. All the ‘net spend’ stuff is a smoke screen really. Jurgen has spent a lot and Liverpool still don’t have a bench worthy of the club. Coutinho was determined to go, that was a windfall not a plan.
    Correct me if I am wrong, and please, referenced facts not self serving ‘opinions’. Isn’t Liverpool’s gross revenue greater than Man City’s having overtaken them last accounting period? Have City not financed all of their purchases from revenue? My understanding is that the Man City ownership has made no inward financing for Man City for more the 5 years and have no debt. The Man City audited accounts show five years of small profits net of all expenditure including new player acquisitions.

  2. What Jamie doesn’t explain is where the Liverpool money goes. All the ‘net spend’ stuff is a smoke screen really. Jurgen has spent a lot and Liverpool still don’t have a bench worthy of the club. Coutinho was determined to go, that was a windfall not a plan.
    Correct me if I am wrong, and please, referenced facts not self serving ‘opinions’. Isn’t Liverpool’s gross revenue greater than Man City’s having overtaken them last accounting period? Have City not financed all of their purchases from revenue? My understanding is that the Man City ownership has made no inward financing for Man City for more the 5 years and have no debt. The Man City audited accounts show five years of small profits net of all expenditure including new player acquisitions.

  3. So your owners won’t invest what is needed.

    And that’s OUR fault?

    You really are deluded. FSG are fleecing you. Glazers with a different mask. Still, at least they stopped you going out of business

  4. That is an absurd comparison. First to put Coutinho on the same level as De Bruyne. Second, good ‘ol Philippe wanted no part of Liverpool. He wanted out! How Liverpool ever got 142 mil or whatever is genius on their part. But that certainly was not the master plan. It was luck that Barcelona pay stupid money for stupid transfers. Had De Bruyne asked out, as Coutinho did, but was not sold, it may be a more apt comparison.

  5. City have been financially self sufficient for the past seven seasons. If the owner packed up and left tomorrow it wouldn’t make a blind bit of difference!
    City’s income stands at £535m and Liverpool’s at £535m. City spend some of that income on staff and Liverpool can do exactly the same of they want to. Maybe Liverpool’s owners should be asked questions why their hands are in their pockets. Liverpool have an aged squad with over half hovering around 30 years old. Investment is needed.

  6. So where is all the money going if not on transfer fees ? We hear that Liverpool have earned more money than City .
    Milner 35
    Henderson , Wijnaldum already 30
    VVD , Matip , Alacantra and Firmino 30 this year
    Mane , Becker and Salah 30 next year
    That’s quite some rebuild .

Comments are closed