Liverpool’s summer business in 2023 has put them back into the Premier League title picture.
After falling so far behind last season, four savvy additions have placed them back in contention.
Alexis MacAllister has recently performed admirably and is allegedly seen as a fantastic purchase by Liverpool.
Ryan Gravenberch, meanwhile, has struggled at times but is still regarded as having elite potential by the club.
The other two newcomers to the squad, Dominik Szoboszlai and Wataru Endo, have also been lauded for adjusting well.
Endo, in particular, has been a surprisingly astute acquisition.
However, not everyone has been satisfied.
Speaking on The Stand podcast last week. Pundit Eamon Dunphy claimed:
Eamon Dunphy, a pundit, felt that Jurgen Klopp made blunders with both the Szoboszlai and Endo signings.
“They found some very good young players, John, I mean Elliott, who came on and actually put them in front in extra-time, 3-2, superb player, and they have found some players,” Dunphy said of Liverpool‘s extra-time loss to Manchester United on Sunday.
“I think he’s bought badly with Szoboszlai and Endo,” he went on to say. “Now, Endo only cost £14 million, and he looks the part. “Szoboszlai, no way.”
Rating Szoboszlai and Endo signings
This is quite harsh of Dunphy.
If Liverpool‘s signings have been so awful. How come the team is performing so differently than it did last season?
The point about Endo is particularly perplexing.
First and foremost, the Japan captain cost Liverpool £16 million, as has been widely reported. In any case, Dunphy is mistaken.
However, Endo has appeared to be a player on whom the Reds could have easily paid three or four times as much.
Given how good he was against Manchester City a few weeks ago, Endo might have cost anything.
How many £16 million players could lead City’s midfield like Liverpool‘s No.3 did?
Szoboszlai, on the other hand, has been a fantastic signing overall, despite some recent criticism.
The 23-year-old has cooled down, maybe due to injuries sustained over the winter season.
In general, however, Szoboszlai has made significant contributions to Liverpool.
As the Reds‘ top presser in the Premier League this season, he possesses all of the characteristics to be an ideal player for Klopp.
We may see the best of Szoboszlai under the next management, but he’s had a solid rookie season thus far.
So we’re not sure what Dunphy was going for here.
Perhaps it was merely reframing the narrative following Liverpool’s sad FA Cup loss.
But whatever argument he thought he was making, it is completely harmless.
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