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Jamie Carragher has warned that Liverpool's 2025 summer could become, as he described it, the worst transfer window in Premier League history, after the club spent around £450 million to sign seven players, most of whom have failed to deliver the expected return.
Having won the league title in Arne Slot's first season, Liverpool splashed out a total of £450 million on seven players. That included £125 million for Alexander Isak, plus the Florian Wirtz deal that could rise to £116 million.
But with the exception of Hugo Ekitike, none of Anfield's new arrivals have made an impactful mark in their first season. Liverpool have slipped to fifth. Slot has been relieved of his duties.
Isak and Wirtz both struggled to leave a clear impact during Liverpool's 2-2 draw with Newcastle on Sunday, and Carragher directed scathing criticism at the club's dealings in last summer's transfer window.
Carragher said, in comments highlighted by the "ESPN" network: "It's the first game of the season, but my fear is that the transfer window 12 months ago may set Liverpool back a year or two in order to fix the situation."
He added: "Yes, it's one game under Andoni Iraola, but we're talking about 12 months of below-par performance from all of these players except Ekitike."
He continued: "If this situation doesn't change over the next two or three months under Iraola, and if these players' level doesn't improve, then I think we'll look back on that period as, most likely, the worst transfer window we've seen in Premier League history, when we consider the value of the deals struck to bring in these players, and what that will mean for Liverpool."
Four key, experienced players left this summer: Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson, Ibrahima Konate and Curtis Jones. Iraola's line-up against Newcastle on Sunday featured four players from last summer's deals, namely Isak, Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez.
Carragher went on: "The idea of signing these players wasn't just for them to come in and be good players, but the aim was to build something like a small dynasty for Liverpool."
He added: "We mustn't forget that Liverpool won the league two years ago. These players were supposed to do what Manchester City did over the past few years, or what Manchester United did in the past, when a team goes and wins the league title two or three times over five years."
Wirtz, in particular, faced criticism from the former Liverpool defender, who said: "This idea that says players need a year to adapt to the Premier League, I think it's somewhat of a myth. I don't think there are many examples where that happens."
He added: "I don't think we're witnessing a huge drop in performance. I think what we've seen from him over a year is probably his true level, and he's a neat, tidy footballer."
He concluded: "He's not a player supposed to be worth £110 million, but someone who should perhaps be worth £50 or £60 million, something of that sort. A neat and tidy player, with a great touch. I'm not sure what people expect from him."
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