Carragher warns Liverpool’s spending could haunt them
Jamie Carragher has delivered a brutal and damning assessment of Liverpool’s £445million spending spree last year, warning it could become the worst transfer window in Premier League history, reports BritPanorama.
The former Reds defender raised the alarm after Andoni Iraola’s reign began with an unconvincing 2-2 draw at Newcastle. Liverpool required a last-gasp penalty from Dominik Szoboszlai to escape St James’ Park with a point after several expensive stars struggled on the opening weekend.
Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz, Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong were among those who failed to impress, reviving uncomfortable questions about the club’s extraordinary recruitment drive in 2025. Liverpool signed seven players during Arne Slot’s final summer in charge, with Giorgi Mamardashvili, Hugo Ekitike and Giovanni Leoni also arriving as the total outlay reached £445m.
Yet those additions could not prevent the Reds finishing fifth last season, two years after they had been crowned Premier League champions. Carragher fears Liverpool’s enormous investment may have caused lasting damage unless Iraola can quickly coax significant improvements from the group.
“My fear watching Liverpool, listen, it’s the first game of the season, is this window (2025) could set Liverpool back a year or two,” Carragher said on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football. He noted that the previous season’s struggles were not solely attributed to the new signings. Carragher remarked, “Don’t forget, last season it was not about these players. You (Gary Neville) said on the podcast yesterday these players had got off lightly, and you’re right.”
Despite the fresh signings, Carragher argued that the success of the players is contingent on how well they can integrate into Iraola’s system, a distinct departure from the style of former manager Jurgen Klopp. He expressed concerns about the long-term impact of the transfer window, stating, “If this doesn’t change in the next two or three months under Iraola and these players improving, I think we’re at that as arguably the worst transfer window in Premier League history.”
Carragher added: “The idea wasn’t just these players coming in and being good players, it was to create a little dynasty for Liverpool.” He highlighted how the current squad was meant to emulate the success seen by rivals like Manchester City in previous years.
Wirtz, Isak, Frimpong, and Kerkez collectively managed only 15 goals, while Mamardashvili has presented uncertainty in goal. Injuries to Ekitike and Leoni have also sidelined notable players. With Mohamed Salah’s departure this summer, greater responsibility rests on the new recruits to shape Liverpool’s future.
The club have since added Jérémy Jacquet, Victor Munoz and Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo, who has joined on loan. Liverpool remain interested in Paris Saint-Germain winger Bradley Barcola but have refused to meet an asking price exceeding £130m. Iraola’s players now face Nottingham Forest at Anfield, with that match due to take place on Saturday (12.30pm).
In a sport where every season brings its share of hope and despair, Liverpool’s recent decisions illustrate just how precarious success can be; the fine line between building for the future and being haunted by the shadows of our past looms larger than ever.
