Liverpool are title favourites! Arne Slot expecting Reds to compete for Premier League crown again but claims tag not down to £300m spending spree

The reigning champions have strengthened significantly in their pursuit of successive league titles, with Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez all arriving for just shy of £300million this summer. And the Reds could still spend further as they continue to be linked with Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak, despite having a £110m bid rejected.

However despite their heavy transfer outlay, Slot has called for more context to be applied when discussing this season's title favourites, citing Liverpool receiving almost £150million from the sales of Luis Diaz, Jarell Quansah, Caoimhin Kelleher, Tyler Morton and Nat Phillips this summer.

When asked if Liverpool are favourites for the Premier League this season, Slot said: “If you won it last season it's quite normal that you are part of the favourites again for next season. For me it would not be normal if it's about spending, because the net spend of us compared to the other teams is not in our favour, if you look at the last two seasons. But it's completely normal that we are one of the favourites, because we won it last season. And we brought in good players, like all the other ones did, by the way.

“So if we are only favourites because we've spent a bit, I would see that as weird, because we've lost a lot as well. But that we are favourites because we won it last season and we played so well, that's clear. And the ambitions haven't changed, because the ambition of this club is always to compete for every trophy."

Liverpool are next in action when they contest the Community Shield against Crystal Palace at Wembley Stadium on Sunday. The Reds will then take on Bournemouth in their first Premier League match of the 2025-26 season at Anfield on August 15.