The Obsession Over Transfers
I’m writing these words at a time when Liverpool is set to announce the signing of Dominik Szoboszlai. This arguably makes this both a good and bad time to discuss the topic of transfers.
It is good because it’s a subject everyone is talking about. It is bad because it makes me feel something of a hypocrite. At times like this, I get giddy at the thought of seeing an exciting new player pull on the red shirt this season. The fact that I’ve actually seen very little of said player often adds to the buzz. The power of the unknown makes the mystery even greater.
However, the preoccupations with which transfers are held by almost all supporters is still something that is essentially a conundrum to me. Is it simply the thing that fills the void of the offseason? Or is the constant sideshow surrounding transfers a greater value to some supporters that the on-pitch stuff?
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Transfers Past
I’m going to go back to the signing of Luis Diaz. This is to partly illustrate my point and simultaneously tear it down. Let’s think of it as a balance. Diaz signed from Porto in January 2022, the middle of a season which I truly believe is my favorite ever following this football club.
His £37.5m arrival was greeted with the usual fanfare you’d expect from a high-profile signing. However, it was one I couldn’t quite get on board with to the same extent at the time. It came now long after Mohamed Salah had nailed down his place as the best footballer on the planet beyond reasonable doubt by scoring two of the greatest goals we’ve ever seen in consecutive weeks against City and Watford.
If the fascination with bringing in new transfers comes from not knowing how good the newcomer could become, surely having the best one in the world already on your books takes some of the magic away from that, no?
The Diaz Dilemma
Sticking to the Diaz theme, I remember vividly his debut. It fell in line with Harvey Elliott’s return from injury. A horrific ankle injury sustained at Leeds kept the youngster out for five months. Both were introduced to the action in a double substitution at home to Cardiff in the FA Cup. I remember being perplexed by Diaz, a man who had never played for us before, receiving a louder reception than Harvey who had just recovered from a career-threatening injury.
Maybe I’m just getting old (I hope not, I’m 29!) but the fascination with the shiny new toy isn’t enough for me to fall in love with a player more than those who have already done incredible things for us. Let’s put some respect on the names of those who have provided some of the best nights of our lives.
When The Shiny Toy Rusts
I acknowledged that Diaz is an imperfect example. He went on to have an enormous impact in the season I described as an all-time favorite. It was the season we almost went where no team has gone before. I’m also writing this piece at a time when Thiago is strongly linked with a move away. Seeing the vast majority of fans sound happy about this is just as vexing.
In the cutthroat world in which we exist where the Spanish midfielder is our third-highest earner, it probably makes sense to listen to offers. Regrettably, though, where has the sentimentality gone? As fans, we are allowed to be soft-centered. The merciless strategy and over-analyzation can be left to the people actually left in charge of the decisions, not us.
The New Guard
Three years ago, Thiago was the Szoboszlai or Mac Allister. He was the new midfielder fans were crying out for. Thiago was the shiny new toy.
Not just that, he is still arguably our best midfielder on his day. With fresh legs around him, I wouldn’t mind one last swansong in which Klopp could manage his minutes. Wouldn’t that be nice?
Maybe I’m too emotional and it’s definitely a good thing that these choices aren’t left to me. But I’m not sure I’ll ever truly understand why some are so keen to move on, particularly when the last chapter was so beautiful.
Anyway, we’ve signed two really good players and it sounds like there will be more transfers to come soon. That’s good, isn’t it? Liverpool will be in action before we know it and ultimately that’s what we all got into this for. UP THE REDS.
