Opinion: Jamie Carragher’s transfer prediction should act as a warning for Arne Slot

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Liverpool endured a turbulent end to the summer transfer window, with two deals coming down to the wire.

The Reds signed Alexander Isak in a British record £125 million deal from Newcastle United on deadline day as the culmination of one of the summer’s most talked about sagas.

Although Isak is regarded as “one of the best” in world football, his acquisition was not the only player Liverpool were trying to sign before the deadline.

After Crystal Palace accepted a £35m bid for Marc Guehi, the England international conducted a medical in London as he awaited official confirmation of his move to Anfield.

Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images

However, the Eagles pulled the plug after Liverpool submitted a deal sheet to the Premier League to complete the transfer after the 7pm deadline, as the South London club could not find a replacement in time.

Jamie Carragher was confident both would arrive at Anfield on deadline day, but his transfer prediction should be used as a warning for the Reds in future transfer windows.

When speaking live on Sky Sports ahead of the 1-0 win against Arsenal on Sunday, the Liverpool legend gave his views on how the Reds would end the summer.

“I think both those deals will get done.

Yeah, I would imagine so it looks like Liverpool put a bid in last night (for Guehi).

I think they’re arguing and fighting over £5m, which is probably peanuts now in this day and age.

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“And with Newcastle obviously getting one striker in, and I’m sure they’re working today and tomorrow to get another one, and I’m sure they will get somebody in.

And then, I think it’s better for Newcastle that Isak moves on as well, I mean, he’s ruined their first three games of the season.

“I was doing the game yesterday (against Leeds United), they didn’t look like scoring a goal.

They’ve played really well as well in the first three games, not so much yesterday, but in the first two, and they deserve more points than they probably got.

“But they haven’t got anybody up top, so just get Isak out of the club, get your money, and obviously it looks like he’s going to come to Liverpool.”

Oliver Glasner convinced Steve Parish not to sell Guehi on deadline day, and all of this could have been avoided had the Reds matched Palace’s demands earlier in the transfer window.

Furthermore, reports suggested that Palace had asked for Joe Gomez to go on loan in the opposite direction, as the Reds had rejected a £13m offer from AC Milan.

Arne Slot effectively left the fate of the transfer in the hands of others and paid the price, as Carragher stated the £5m the Reds were trying to save is “peanuts” compared to the big-money fees that occurred throughout the summer.

Liverpool did sign a centre-back this summer for the first time since 2021 when Giovanni Leoni arrived at the beginning of August via Parma.

The 18-year-old is highly regarded as one of the best young talents in his native Italy and turned down interest from the likes of Inter Milan and Juventus for a move to Anfield.

Ibrahima Konate and Gomez both have unsatisfactory fitness records, and the likelihood of the pair spending time on the sidelines this year is very high.

Therefore, with Guehi no longer an option, Slot will need to turn to Leoni when the time is right.