'I have tried' - Arne Slot issues plea as Liverpool's $600M strategy questioned

Liverpool spent big during last summer's transfer window - signing the likes of Florian Wirz and Alexander Isak - but failed to challenge for the Premier League title this season

Arne Slot believes Liverpool's investment last summer will pay off(Image: Getty Images)

Arne Slot believes Liverpool's massive summer spend will eventually pay off - once the team's frustrating injury crisis ends.

The Reds spent around $600 million on fresh talent last summer, bringing in the likes of Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz, Milos Kerkez, Jeremie Frimpong, Giovanni Leoni, Giorgi Mamardashvili, and Hugo Ekitike to revamp Slot's Premier League title-winning squad.

But that investment hasn't paid off for Liverpool yet. While the Reds have reached the last 16 of the Champions League - where they'll play Galatasaray - they are sixth in the Premier League table, three points behind a resurgent Manchester United in fourth.

Slot has struggled to integrate his new expensive signings into the first-team squad due to injuries. Isak, for instance, arrived from Newcastle in September after missing a proper preseason. He then broke his leg in December, further hampering his progress.

Frimpong has already suffered three muscle injuries as a Liverpool player, while Leoni tore his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) on his debut to end his season. Even Ekitike, Liverpool's 15-goal striker, has missed some games through injury this campaign.

The latest Liverpool player to go down with an injury is Wirtz, who picked up an issue while warming up ahead of last weekend's victory at Nottingham Forest. The German midfielder will miss this Sunday's Premier League game against West Ham at Anfield.

Florian Wirtz has picked up an injury(Image: Getty Images)

When questioned about Liverpool's spending on Friday, Slot pointed at the club's injury woes. He also highlighted the millions Liverpool recouped from player sales last summer, selling the likes of Darwin Nunez, Luis Diaz, Jarell Quansah, and Ben Gannon-Doak.

"I have tried 450 times to say we also sold for £300 million ($403.7 million)," said Slot. "That never comes across, and people never talk about it.

"In general, I only ever see, '£450 million ($605.5 million) spent, 450, 450, 450.' And no one looks at the circumstances, which are that the £450 million is very well spent, very, very, very well spent, one more time: very well spent.

"They are great football players who will be a big, big, big success for this club. Some already now, and some in the future.

"The reality of this season is we sold for £300 million, some starters like Trent Alexander-Arnold sold for only £10 million ($13.5 million to Real Madrid). We had to recoup the money with players."

Slot added: "From that spent, then £250 million ($336.4 million) of it. Alex Isak has not been the Alex of Newcastle, maybe for 20 minutes at Tottenham. I don’t criticize him because we signed him for six years, not six months.

"Giorgi Mamardashvili - we needed him because Caoimhin Kelleher left, but we hardly played with two goalkeepers.

"Jeremie Frimpong has been many times injured. Giovanni Leoni is out for the season. Tomorrow, I miss out on Florian Wirtz. Him and Hugo Ekitike and Milos Kerkez needed time to adapt."