Liverpool transfer surprise remains with Divock Origi exit question

In his first column of the new season, John Aldridge ponders the next moves of FSG and Liverpool in the transfer market


With only two weeks until the transfer window closes, I’m surprised Liverpool haven’t brought in more players.

Obviously, times are tough with the ongoing impact of the pandemic affecting finances, and we have to accept that.

And Liverpool don’t have the spending power of Manchester City, Chelsea or even Manchester United.

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But I thought we’d have gone out and got another striker or a forward-thinking midfielder.

I can see why some of the fans are becoming a little bit disgruntled.

However, it’s clear Liverpool have some good young talent on their books, and it’s important not to just keep bringing in players that might block their route to the first team.

Trent Alexander-Arnold came through a few years ago, Curtis Jones is another and now there is Harvey Elliott.

Elliott is a talent. Jurgen Klopp would have had a good look at him while he was on loan at Blackburn Rovers, and has clearly liked what he has seen.

For an 18-year-old, he has so much confidence. He is very similar in a way to Xherdan Shaqiri and I think that might be why Liverpool are now happy to let Shaqiri go, so the youngster can get more first-team minutes this season.

I hope we see more from the front three – or four as it is now – over the season.

They all underperformed for me last campaign, even Mohamed Salah who still managed to score 31 goals.

If we want to truly challenge for honours, we need the attack to be firing as they were two, three, four years ago.

Fingers were pointed at the defence last season but at least there was a reason for that. It was less easy to find an excuse for the forwards missing chances in tight games which we would then go on to draw or even lose.

Are Takumi Minamino and Divock Origi enough to put Salah, Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane and Diogo Jota under pressure?

A lot could depend on whether Origi leaves in the next few weeks.

I do believe there will be a bit more movement with some players going and at least one coming in.

We have a really good squad, but you always want to improve.

Football without fans really IS nothing

I’ve made no secret of the fact I found it incredibly difficult to watch games on television last season.

Even Liverpool games were hard-going.

The reason? The lack of supporters inside the stadium.

And we’ve seen from the opening Premier League weekend alone the difference fans have always made.

Without them, football is nothing. It really isn’t. That’s the biggest thing we have learned from pandemic football.

It isn’t just about the atmosphere, or the actual game itself. It’s about the whole day, the feeling of an occasion, going to the game, travelling with family and friends, going for a meal or a drink afterwards.

It’s a massive thing for so many people. The look forward to it as a collective experience. It brings people together, and we will see that at Anfield against Burnley on Saturday.

I’ll be there and I cannot wait.
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