Jurgen Klopp’s two reasons for not spending huge money on Liverpool target Romeo Lavia

Liverpool face competition from Chelsea for the signing of Romeo Lavia after the Blues started the race for the Southampton midfielder – after Jurgen Klopp’s side turned down three offers

Failing to qualify for the Champions League can be costly – and Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool are paying the price for not finishing in the top four.

The Reds were fifth at the end of another busy Premier League season in May, meaning they will play in the Europa League in 2023/24. It’s the first time since 2016 that Liverpool have failed to qualify for Europe’s elite club competition – after finishing eighth in Klopp’s first season in charge.

And Klopp is feeling the effects of a disappointing season in the top flight, which saw Liverpool unable to spend the money as generously as they might have liked. The Reds have spent just under £100m this summer – less than seven Premier League clubs, including Arsenal and Manchester United. Now Liverpool face a battle to sign Romeo Lavia from Southampton after Chelsea made a £48million bid for the Belgium international on Wednesday. The Reds need to be smarter in the transfer market and are currently unwilling to match Lavia’s £50m valuation after the latest rejection of a third offer of £46m.

Liverpool chief executive Billy Hogan is well aware of the Reds’ struggles in the transfer market and has admitted the gains from not taking part in the Champions League are already having an impact. The Reds will have the chance to collect more than £35million from the Europa League – even if they qualify for the final next May.

Hogan told The Athletic: “Obviously it makes a difference in terms of income and we have to act on it. Our aim is to run the club in a sustainable way. If you are missing Champions League income , you need to react accordingly – and we did.”

Their financial troubles are likely one of the reasons Liverpool are reluctant to accept Southampton’s valuation of Lavia and are cautious about where they spend their money, despite being contacted about Moises Caicedo by Brighton.

Liverpool could make a fourth offer for the Southampton ace as they look to add another midfielder to their ranks following the departures of Fabinho, Jordan Henderson, James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita this summer.

More news…….

Thiago makes transfer decisions, as Al-Ettifaq sends Liverpool an “apologetic” letter regarding Jordan Henderson

Media Digest: Thiago has made up his mind amid transfer rumors, and Jordan Henderson has apologized to Liverpool through Al Ettifaq’s official channels.

Jordan Henderson “apologetic” statement from Al-Ettifaq.

Al-Ettifaq has “apologized” to Liverpool supporters on Twitter. Jordan Henderson was recently acquired by the Steven Gerrard-coached Saudi team, who made him captain of their most recent match.

The reality is more ironic, despite the fact that some Liverpool employees might feel they should apologize for the way the Saudi club initially tried to sign the Reds captain for nothing (Guardian). Al-Ettifaq apologized for printing “EFC” on the back of Henderson’s shirt through their social media channel.

These initials, which are also those of the Ettifaq Football Club, are connected to the English football team Everton and are located just below the prancing horse logo on the neck of the Saudi team’s jerseys. The club account joked, “At least it’s not blue,” enticing supporters to purchase the number 10 shirt before it sells out.

Due to the captain’s prior decision to speak out as an ally of the LGBT community, Henderson has drawn a great deal of criticism for his decision to move to Saudi Arabia—far more than Fabinho—but this seeming lighthearted post highlights the fact that Liverpool is also facing some ethical challenges. Given that the league has been referred to as a sportswashing project (Guardian), it’s less than ideal that Al Ettifaq is already using its name to help the organization market itself.

Thiago’s choice to transfer.

Surprisingly, during the transfer window, Thiago has also been connected to several moves away. Only Curtis Jones and Harvey Elliott would be left from the midfield that Jürgen Klopp famously deemed fit for purpose prior to last season if the Spaniard left along with Henderson, Fabinho, James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, and Naby Keita.

Thankfully, it appears that Thiago has made a decision. Fabrizio Romano has disabled links to Sevilla in a post on Twitter:.

Despite their connections, Thiago Alcântara and Sevilla have not engaged in any negotiations or talks. Thiago Only considering Liverpool.

Thiago has assumed a crucial role as an experienced leader in a shifting midfield after initially being perceived as one of the Liverpool candidates with the highest likelihood of leaving the club this summer. Given his strong defensive statistics, he might also start the season as one of the top choices for the number six position.