TA: Liverpool only officially contacted Sarr at the end of the summer transfer window, and Crystal Palace are dissatisfied with his valuation.

The summer transfer window for the top five European leagues officially closed in the early hours of September 2nd, Beijing time. TA posted an article discussing Liverpool's summer transfer activity.

Liverpool's transfer activity this summer has been met with mixed reactions both inside and outside the club.

Anfield's management believes they have accomplished their primary objective: prioritizing the addition of speed and depth to the flanks after Salah's departure at the end of last season.

They consider Barcola, their blockbuster signing from Paris Saint-Germain for £123 million ($165.8 million), to be one of the world's top wingers. The club is also thrilled with the £34.5 million signing of Victor Muñoz from Osasuna.

Liverpool hope these two players can bring different dimensions to the team's attack and help unlock the potential of last summer's two most expensive signings, Isak and Wirtz.

Jacquet has made a positive start since joining from Rennes for £60 million, while Araujo, on loan from Barcelona, has bolstered the defense. Liverpool believe they have the squad they need, especially with Giovanni Leoni, Conor Bradley, and Ekittick returning from long-term injuries.

Despite fan concerns about the team's failure to strengthen its full-backs and midfield, Liverpool have achieved their initial goals, and there is internal confidence that new manager Raul Iraola will improve the players' abilities. The club also acknowledges that the team still needs patience.

Liverpool had the highest net spending in English top-flight football this summer, investing approximately £250 million, including performance-linked add-ons. This also includes the £30 million deal to sign young goalkeeper Lorenzo Luca, who will remain on loan at Genk for the rest of the season.

The club has limited assets to sell, which is reflected in their expectation of only recouping around £32 million from the sale of Curtis Jones, Luca Stephenson, and Bajchettitic. The departures of Salah, Robertson, and Konaté on free transfers also resulted in a significant loss of experience for the team.

This is in stark contrast to a year ago, when Liverpool spent a record £450 million on signings while also earning £220 million from player sales.

But this transfer window comes against the backdrop of internal turmoil within the club. Fenway Sports Group football CEO Michael Edwards resigned in July, frustrated by the owners' reluctance to push for a multi-club model.

Sporting director Richard Hughes' contract expires next summer. He is also preparing to leave after the transfer window closes, having been a target for Saudi league side Al-Hilal. However, with FSG chairman Mike Gordon resuming oversight of Liverpool's day-to-day operations, Hughes still spearheaded the transfer process this summer.

Liverpool's ownership is also in a transitional period, with FSG recently agreeing to sell a 38% stake in the club to a consortium led by British Indian businessman Amit Batiah.

This is the background to the turmoil of the past few months. The above information comes from multiple sources familiar with Liverpool's transfer business, all of whom spoke anonymously to protect their positions.

Before the transfer window officially opened, Liverpool had to deal with Juventus' interest in Alisson.

The club had previously activated the one-year extension option in the 33-year-old Brazilian goalkeeper's contract, keeping him at Anfield until the summer of 2027, and therefore has no intention of letting him leave.

Sources close to Alisson strongly denied reports that he had agreed personal terms with Juventus, and that he himself had never pushed for a transfer. During negotiations, Liverpool reiterated his importance both on and off the pitch, and Iraola subsequently appointed him as one of the vice-captains alongside Szoboszlai and Joe Gomez.

At the end of last season, it seemed that Jacquet's arrival at Anfield was not to replace Konaté, but rather to compete with Konaté for a starting position.

In late April, Konaté told reporters that he was "close to reaching an agreement with Liverpool on a new contract," and that this had always been "what he wanted." Liverpool's hierarchy was surprised by this, as they believed that a compromise on a new contract was unrealistic given Konaté's wage demands. Even before Sloet was sacked, the club had already confirmed that Konaté would leave when his contract expired at the end of June. The French international had already reached a four-year contract agreement with Real Madrid.

Liverpool have no worries, with French U21 international Jacquet officially joining from Rennes on July 1st in a deal finalized at the close of the January transfer window for £60 million. They also know that Leoni will return in September; the Italian centre-back is still recovering from surgery for a torn cruciate ligament.

At that stage, Liverpool did not seek further defensive reinforcements, shifting their focus to attacking signings. The team had already decided that, following Robertson's departure, Tsimikas, who had just returned from loan at Roma, would serve as Kılıç's backup left-back.

Liverpool also assessed the value of Newcastle United winger Anthony Gordon. Liverpool's interest in Gordon dates back to the summer of 2024, when they were close to signing him for £75 million, with Joe Gomez joining in a £45 million swap deal. However, Newcastle United called off the deal.

Liverpool knew that Newcastle United would prefer to sell him overseas this summer rather than to a domestic rival; they also knew that Gordon himself preferred to play abroad. Therefore, pursuing him was never considered realistic. The only internal surprise was that he ultimately went to Barcelona for £69 million, while the outside world had expected him to join Bayern Munich.

When it comes to signing wingers, RB Leipzig's Jan Diomande and Osasuna's Victor Muñoz were initially Liverpool's most likely targets.

Before strengthening that position, Anfield's hierarchy was puzzled by reports of Bayern Munich's interest in signing Rio Ngumoha. Sky Sports Germany reported that Bayern manager Vincent Kompany had held positive talks with Ngumoha's team. Liverpool never received formal contact from Bayern, but they made it clear that the player was not for sale.

This is bizarre because no player under the age of 17 has made more appearances for a Premier League club in the 2025-26 season. Even if Ngumoha has any complaints or disappointments about his role at Liverpool, the club has not listened to him express them.

In mid-June, Liverpool acted swiftly, beating Newcastle United to sign Spanish international Javi Muñoz for £34.5 million.

After the Spanish Football Federation approved scheduling the medical examinations in Chattanooga, Tennessee, near their World Cup base, the club's Director of Medical and Performance, Jonathan Ball, was dispatched to the United States. He joined Chief Scout Barry Hunter and Fitness and Rehabilitation Director Chris Morgan.

Liverpool agreed to pay the transfer fee to Osasuna in two installments, with half of the payment going to his former club, Real Madrid. The 22-year-old winger subsequently signed a six-year contract.

Newcastle had seen Munoz as the ideal replacement for Gordon, but just like Ekitic 12 months ago, Liverpool beat them to it and signed him.

This deal has been dubbed a "hijacking" by outsiders, but in reality, Liverpool had already contacted the player's agent team as early as the beginning of 2026 and requested that they keep him informed of his situation at any time.

Hughes and Iraola discussed Muñoz's qualities during their initial transfer meeting, and Iraola had been closely following his performances in La Liga. Iraola clearly stated that he believed Muñoz possessed all the qualities to succeed in his system and looked forward to working with him. Subsequent phone conversations between Iraola and Muñoz ultimately helped him decide to join Anfield.

Bayer Leverkusen are also interested in Muñoz. Real Madrid had considered activating his €8 million buy-back clause this summer, provided they sold him to Osasuna 12 months ago for €5 million plus €1 million in add-ons. However, Muñoz is concerned about his playing time at the Bernabéu. Barcelona were also interested in Muñoz before signing Gordon, but Real Madrid won't allow that to happen.

Reports from Spain regarding a buy-back clause between Real Madrid and Muñoz that would become effective in the summer of 2027 are untrue. Real Madrid has only reserved the right to match any offer should Liverpool decide to sell him in the future.

After signing one winger, Liverpool quickly set their sights on another, offering €100 million to RB Leipzig for Jan Diomande. This offer is an improvement over their previous proposal to the Bundesliga club regarding the Ivorian striker.

However, this price was far from the valuation the other party had given. Liverpool soon learned that Diomande himself preferred to join Paris Saint-Germain. By the time Real Madrid joined the race and finalized the deal for €125 million plus €15 million in add-ons, Liverpool had already moved on to other targets.

Brighton's Jankuba Mint, Cologne's Said Mara, and Lille's Fernandez Pardo have all made Liverpool's updated shortlist, but Barkola is at the top of the list.

Twelve months ago, Liverpool considered signing Luis Diaz after selling him to Bayern Munich, but ultimately decided they didn't want to block Ngumoha's path to development.

Negotiations with Barcola's team were quickly confirmed; he was eager for a new challenge and also hoped to transfer to Anfield. He had been resistant to Paris Saint-Germain's attempts to extend his contract, with two years remaining on his current deal, due to his position in the pecking order behind Kvalachhrja and Dué.

However, Liverpool were well aware that finalizing a transfer fee with the reigning Champions League champions would not be easy. Paris Saint-Germain initially asked for £145 million, and Liverpool intended to wait patiently, believing that the club would lower its asking price closer to the transfer window's close, especially after they themselves strengthened their attacking roster. Barcora also assured Liverpool that he would not consider interest from other clubs, further bolstering their confidence.

Finally, negotiations reached a breakthrough last week, with Liverpool agreeing to pay £106 million, which could reach a maximum of £123 million with add-ons. Barcora flew to Manchester on Sunday to undergo a medical and sign a five-year contract, becoming Liverpool's second-highest-paid player in history, second only to Isak.

Sources close to FSG believe that the groundwork laid by Hughes over the past 12 months in the Barcola deal was key to securing the French international's eventual arrival at Anfield. They also believe that the club's decision to let Hughes continue to lead summer signings, despite his impending departure, proved to be the right one.

Hughes has faced considerable online criticism for failing to complete more deals, but sources close to the Scotsman and Liverpool's hierarchy have vehemently denied any distraction between Liverpool and his upcoming new role. All parties insist there is no conflict of interest. He will leave with dignity.

Liverpool's transfer strategy has been affected by the expected return of Conor Bradley, Leoni, and Ekittik from long-term injuries. They are reluctant to invest too many resources in areas where highly touted players are expected to return within months.

However, the team's defensive woes during the preseason tour in the United States forced them to take action.

Captain Virgil van Dijk did not travel with the team, Leoni was still recovering, Jacquet was absent due to a knee injury, and then Joe Gomez limped off the field less than 10 minutes into the first pre-season friendly against Sunderland in Nashville.

At the time, Iraola had no experienced center-backs available and had to rely on young players Ndukwe and Bala Sapoko Ndiaye. Both came from the club's global talent department and had attracted attention with their outstanding performances at the Qatar U17 World Cup last November.

Austrian youth international Edinson Ndukwe has impressed, earning high praise from Virgil van Dijk. However, he is ineligible to remain with the team this season because he lacks a work permit to play in England. Subsequently, after enthusiastic persuasion from manager Luis Castro, he was loaned to La Liga side Levante. Ndukwe only needs to play one more league match to qualify for competitive play in England. Liverpool will reassess his situation in January to decide whether to recall him or allow him to remain for the full season.

Shortly after the tour ended, Liverpool signed Araujo on a season-long loan from Barcelona. The 27-year-old Uruguayan international is experienced and can play as a center-back and right-back, both of which are very attractive to Liverpool.

The loan deal had no loan fee, but Liverpool agreed to cover his wages, and Araujo himself accepted a slight pay cut to facilitate the transaction. The two sides also agreed on an option to buy him next summer for approximately £47 million. Only four days passed between Liverpool's initial contact with Araujo's team and the player's trip to Merseyside for a medical.

Szoboszlai recently signed a new five-year contract, quelling speculation about his future, but his comment during the US tour, saying "if McCallister comes back," caused a stir. The Hungarian captain later insisted it was a slip of the tongue and that he meant "when McCallister comes back."

However, rumors surrounding McAllister continue, despite his father Carlos's public statement that he will remain at Anfield.

Liverpool have no intention of selling him. However, if McAllister pushes for a departure and a suitable offer comes in, Monaco's Ramin Kamara would be the preferred replacement. Kamara himself was embroiled in transfer turmoil on deadline day when Monaco changed their minds about selling him to Chelsea for £47 million. Liverpool may re-enter the race for him in 2027, but there are no guarantees.

If Liverpool had decided to strengthen their midfield at the time, another player on the list would have been West Ham United's Lothar Fernandes, who was subsequently signed by Tottenham for £85 million.

The only change in Liverpool's midfield was Curtis Jones ending his 16-year career with the Reds by transferring to Inter Milan for £30 million.

The 25-year-old academy graduate is frustrated by his inability to secure a regular starting position in his preferred role and is looking for new challenges. He had previously rejected two offers from the Serie A champions, while Liverpool are insisting on a price that better reflects his market value.

Liverpool have not sought a replacement for Jones. Jones made 28 starts in all competitions during the 2025-26 season. The club believes that youth player Nione is ready to take on a more significant role this season. The youngster had considered a change of direction earlier in the summer, with Nottingham Forest making a £30 million offer, which was immediately rejected, and the two sides are expected to discuss a new contract.

Liverpool's 2-2 draw against Newcastle United in their opening Premier League match, where they conceded two goals on the counter-attack, has fueled the debate over whether the club needs to sign a dedicated number 6.

But Iraola firmly believes the problem can be solved by improving the team's off-the-ball structure, not by replacing players. With Wirtz taking the number 10 position, Iraola will essentially have to compete for two midfield spots among Szoboszlai, McAllister, Hrafinbech, Nione, Endo Wataru, and James McConnell. Szoboszlai can also play in Wirtz's position.

Several fringe players from Liverpool's squad were also sold off. Luka Stevenson joined Bolton Wanderers for £700,000, while Bajczetic returned to Celta Vigo for around £1 million.

Harvey Elliott failed to make it into Iraola's plans and was loaned to Valencia. Other players on loan include Armin Page (Hartburg), Ndukwe (Levante), Calvin Ramsey (St. Mirren), Kyle Kelly (Forest Green Rangers), Amara Nalo (HJK Helsinki), Callum Scanlen (Cardiff City), Kieran Morrison (Sheffield Wednesday), Cornell Mischel (Licktown), and Carol Figueroa (Port Vale).

It appears Liverpool will sign another striker besides Barkola. They inquired about Mbaye and Enderik, but Real Madrid made it clear that Enderik was not for sale. Malik Fofana, who eventually moved from Lyon to Sunderland, was also tracked by Liverpool.

However, Brighton's Jankuba Mint and Crystal Palace's Ismaila Sarr are Liverpool's real targets. Liverpool made two offers for Mint, one for £50 million and the other for £60 million, but both were rejected by Brighton, who insisted on £80 million. Crystal Palace are also taking a hard line on Sarr.

Liverpool didn't officially contact Sarr until the final week of the transfer window. Crystal Palace revealed that Liverpool indicated a willingness to pay £45 million plus £5 million in add-ons during negotiations, but stated that they hadn't made a formal offer. Regardless, Crystal Palace made it clear they had no intention of making the deal. Crystal Palace were dissatisfied with the timing and valuation, and annoyed by the impact this had on Sarr, as his mind had been swayed.

Liverpool would let Gakopo leave if they sign either Minte or Sarr. The Dutch striker told Liverpool last weekend that he would prefer to join Manchester City rather than Tottenham Hotspur if he were to be sold.

Manchester City made an £80 million bid, but it was rejected on the penultimate day of the transfer window because Liverpool believed that keeping Gakopo was more cost-effective given the high price of replacements.

Liverpool's last-minute moves were forward-looking. They quickly reached a £30 million agreement with Genk for 18-year-old high-potential goalkeeper Brugmans, who had also been closely linked with Real Madrid. Brugmans signed a six-year contract and will remain in Belgium on loan this season before joining Anfield next summer.

By then, Alisson's contract will expire, and the future of current substitute Mamardashvili remains uncertain. Mamardashvili desires more consistent playing time, but since joining from Valencia last year, he hasn't truly convinced the outside world. Multiple sources indicate that Mamardashvili was recently considered by Nottingham Forest. When The Athletic contacted Forest for confirmation, they denied it, but regardless, he ultimately stayed with the team.

The signing of Brugmans follows similar deals to Ndukwe and Ndiaye, demonstrating Liverpool's efforts to be at the forefront of signing the world's best young players when they turn 18 and are eligible to sign with top-flight English clubs.

Liverpool are also monitoring the potential of Colombian youth international Samuel Martinez, who is set to join from Atlas next summer for around £750,000. His impressive performance in the South American U17 Championship in April, helping Colombia defeat Argentina in the final, has attracted the attention of the club's scouting department.

Martinez had received interest from around 20 clubs at the time, wavering between Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool. It was Newberry and his team who ultimately played a decisive role after showing him the development path at Merseyside.

Liverpool have also reached a £4.3 million deal with Saint-Étienne for young French striker Gillian Nguessan. The player will first spend time on loan at Brest before joining Liverpool in January or next summer.

After selling off a number of young players last summer, Liverpool have begun to bolster their squad. The long-term outlook is quite promising, but whether their current signings are sufficient remains to be seen.

Recognizing the end of an era and the need for a major rebuild, FSG has approved a total investment of £700 million in player signings over the past two summer transfer windows.