Jamie Carragher has labelled Liverpool’s transfer activity a “joke” and a “mess” with the Reds looking set out on two midfielders to Chelsea.
It has been a volatile few days on the transfer front as both Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia have opted for moves to Stamford Bridge over Anfield.
The Reds have been in the market for a defensive midfielder and had agreed deals for both Caicedo and Lavia with their respective clubs before being turn down by the players in favour of Mauricio Pochettino’s side.
Jamie Carragher has criticised his former club’s summer business, describing the latest turn of events as an “absolute mess” and citing poor planning as the cause of the problems.
“They put a bid in for Lavia today for £60m when they refused to pay £50m four or five days ago. It’s an absolute mess and a joke,” Carragher exclaimed on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football.
“The biggest problem about it is that Liverpool have known they have needed midfield reinforcements since August of last season, 12 months ago.”
Caicedo’s move to Chelsea has already been confirmed and Lavia looks set to follow after highlighting choosing the Blues over Liverpool.
The club’s ownership, Fenway Sports Group, have once again come in for criticism after Chelsea were allowed to pluck both targets away from Liverpool.
Carragher denied having any professional ties to his former employers but insisted that the “structure” of the club is to blame, adding that the only business Liverpool have managed to do has been via release clauses.
“People think I defend FSG, I have no relationship with them at all, but this is not on the owners. The structure of the football club,” he continued.
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“Schmadtke has come in and he has a relationship with Jurgen Klopp – but he’s only there for the summer. That’s all he’s there for and then moves on.
“They haven’t got deals done – that is your job in that role, to get deals over the line. The two players they bought had buy-out clauses, there’s no negotiation, no big deal to go about it, you just meet the buy-out clause.
“So Liverpool have not got big deals over the line and it’s been embarrassing.”
Liverpool are still without a recognised defensive midfielder and have a matter of weeks left to resolve the issue in the transfer window.
Lavia looked to be the primary target throughout the summer after agreeing a £60 million fee with Southampton following three rejected offers.
The Reds will now be forced to shop elsewhere for reinforcements, with the September 1 deadline fast approaching.
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