Published Sep 14, 2026, 7:10 AM GMT+1

The hierarchy splashed over £500m during last summer’s transfer window, but could only finish fifth and resulted in manager Arne Slot losing his job at Anfield.

Andoni Iraola has spent big during his first summer at the helm, subsequently splashing over £160m on new additions, but he’s only tasted victory in one of his first four outings.

He will be hoping that the signings made this summer will make a meaningful impact on Merseyside and steer clear of the struggles endured by one former big-money addition.

Why Keita is Liverpool's biggest waste in recent years

As part of their ambitions to reach the next level during Jürgen Klopp’s tenure, the Liverpool hierarchy spent big on the signature of midfielder Naby Keïta from RB Leipzig in the summer of 2018.

The Guinean international was seen as a vital cog to lead the Reds closer towards a Premier League title, after starring in the Bundesliga over a sustained period.

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However, it’s safe to say the move for the now 31-year-old was a complete disaster, with the £52m spent on his signature eight years ago proving to be a huge waste.

He only made 129 appearances across all competitions at Anfield, with the midfielder only making more than 35 appearances in a season on one occasion.

Injuries often plagued Keita during his five year spell in England, subsequently seeing him suffer 21 separate injury issues - an average of just over five per campaign.

He also earned a reported £120k-per-week during his five years at the club, which saw him take home over £30m in wages throughout the duration of his time at Anfield.

There’s no denying his efforts on the pitch saw him fail to provide worth for the mega money spent on his signature, with such a move going down as one of the worst in recent memory.

Why Liverpool's £35m star is now the biggest waste since Keita

Liverpool’s transfer business since such a move has undoubtedly improved, with the Reds winning multiple Premier League titles thanks to their shrewd business in the market.

However, that’s not to say some of the recent additions have struggled to meet expectations since their own big-money moves to Merseyside in recent seasons.

Florian Wirtz is certainly a player who is falling into that category, with the German international still a player who divides opinion between the fanbase after his £116m move last summer.

Fellow first-team member Konstantinos Tsimikas is another player who has struggled to provide value for money, with most of his fan-favourite efforts coming off the field.

The Reds paid £12m to sign the Greek international from Olympiacos in the summer of 2020, subsequently arriving to provide cover for Andy Robertson.

He’s since racked up 118 senior appearances during that time, which saw him spend last season on loan at Italian side Roma to gain more valuable senior minutes.

The 30-year-old has since been brought back into the senior ranks by Iraola this campaign, subsequently starting the recent clash with Fulham in the Premier League.

However, despite the faith shown in him by the manager, Tsimikas was unable to deliver a performance to shout about - as seen by his underlying stats.

The full-back was replaced at the break after completing just 65% of the passes he attempted, resulting in him losing possession a staggering 17 times.

Such a tally was the highest of any player in Iraola’s squad, whilst also misplacing 100% of his crosses - also the joint-highest tally of any player who started the 0-0 draw.

Even without the ball, he was just as ineffective, subsequently losing 67% of the ground duels he entered - whilst also losing 100% of his aerial battles.

When combining his transfer fee and his hefty £75k-per-week wages, he’s cost the Reds over £35m during the last six years - a figure which is way beyond the output he’s produced.

Such money has undoubtedly been wasted by the hierarchy, with far better and more effective options currently available within the transfer market at present.

He and Keita have proven the risks taken within the transfer market in the current day - something which the board need to cut out if the club is to be successful again.