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Liverpool's sporting director Richard Hughes has illuminated the thinking and strategy behind the club's summer window, despite recent criticism due to the team's current form.
After a stellar Premier League campaign last season, the Reds splashed the cash in the transfer market to bolster their title-winning squad. However, high-profile arrivals, such as Alexander Isak, Hugo Ekitike, and Florian Wirtz, among others, were also accompanied by some significant departures.
Luis Diaz was the most notable among them, with the Colombian currently thriving in the Bundesliga with Bayern Munich. Jarell Quansah also made his way to Germany to join Bayer Leverkusen, while Darwin Nunez was snapped up by Saudi team Al-Hilal.
In terms of full-backs, Jeremie Frimpong was brought in to fill the boots of Real Madrid-bound Trent Alexander-Arnold. Milos Kerkez was also seen as the long-term successor for Andy Robertson, although the latter remains at Anfield despite rumours of a potential move away in the summer.
Due to Liverpool's recent form - which has seen the team suffer a shocking nine losses in its last 12 games - there has been plenty of re-evaluation over what was initially perceived as a strong summer.
With considerable sums invested, certain supporters remain dissatisfied with the deals completed and feel the squad could have been strengthened in other areas. One fan posted on X: "Look at Arsenal they got their recruitment spot on and are reaping the benefits, we bought round pegs for square holes."
Another added: "I am a big admirer of Wirtz but he doesn't fit Liverpool's style of play. With a lack of cover in defence, the main money should have been spent there."
And a third said: "His [Hughes'] decisions have left us with a smaller squad than last season. You take out the players [Arne] Slot doesn't like or trust and there is next to nothing to come on."
Speaking at the IMG x RedBird Summit back in September, as quoted by The Athletic, Hughes explored Liverpool's recruitment strategy and the summer window in detail, with the methodical approach not matching the current criticisms being directed at the hierarchy.
Hughes said: "As best you can, you have to detach yourself from what the transfer fee is likely to be. First and foremost, the identification of the right player for the right system for the right head coach has a fair amount of importance, and I think this is not something that's necessarily new for the football club and its ownership.
"We pay what we believe to be fair market value for a player based on age and based on necessity of that individual to fit into the squad. In the fullness of time, we hope that, instead of talking now about what a huge fee it is, it has been value for money for the football club whenever we're making that assessment in the future. And because of the ages of the players that we've bought, we're confident that will end up being the case."
He proceeded to outline how he views Isak and Wirtz as long-term investments who could stay at the club for many years to come. He added: "That would be very much the hope and in buying a player young, you give yourself the ability for that to be the case.
"We also want to try and win now, and that's important as well, so I'm not describing them as works in progress or anything like that. These are players who have already done a lot in their individual careers. We talk about Florian and Alex, but Milos, Jeremie and Hugo are players that have achieved a certain level in the game already."
Liverpool's woes deepened on Wednesday as the team endured a crushing 4-1 defeat against PSV Eindhoven at home; Dominik Szoboszlai's strike was eclipsed by strikes from Ivan Perisic, Guss Til and a Couhaib Driouech brace. The Reds' next fixture takes them to the London Stadium to take on West Ham on Sunday before welcoming Sunderland on Wednesday.
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