Liverpool owner FSG has shown there is money to be spent chasing Moises Caicedo

The addition of the 30-year-old Japanese captain on a four-year deal on Friday saw the Reds pay a £16.25m guaranteed fee to German Bundesliga side VfB Stuttgart, which represents the highest fee paid by the Reds’ owners than Fenway Sports Group has issued a player over 30 since taking over the club in 2010.

As with the Boston Red Sox ownership, FSG likes to sign players who have a significant cap, both competitively and in terms of transfer value. A look at some of the deals that have taken place during their ownership of the Reds, where Philippe Coutinho was signed as a 20-year-old for £8m and sold for £142m, where Andrew Robertson joined from relegated Hull City for £10m million at 23 before he was worth around £80m in the market at his peak, and where the £34.3m signing of Mohamed Salah in 2017 would have produced a three times higher-rated player, and you can see why FSG was enthusiastic about the model.

But signing Endo, as Reds boss Jurgen Klopp told a media meeting earlier this week, was something he had been looking for for some time, even if the profile of the Japanese captain, who only entered European football when he signed for Sint-Truidense in Belgium in 2020, not exactly in line with what has been FSG’s strategy for so long. Paying such a transfer fee and receiving a four-year deal is the sort of signing that has been a rarity for the Liverpool owners.

“Yeah, you know, it’s not traditional,” Klopp said. “It’s always a discussion we have.” Owners really want 200 games by age 20. Its pretty hard.

“I didn’t need to be convinced. I know that the best time for a footballer in a normal career is between 27 and 33 years old. Injuries matter, of course.

So I didn’t have to change anything and it was on my list from the start. Now he is here.

Earlier this week it was Romeo Lavia, 19, who also opted to avoid Liverpool over Chelsea after the Reds rejected several offers from Southampton for the Belgian midfielder, with the club appearing to have their own assessment of its quality.

The transfer window ends at the end of this month and Liverpool have less than two weeks to expand their squad, which should be the case. The Reds owners have already shown their hand, perhaps more than they would have liked, or were used to, in the £111m offer for Caicedo, a clear sign that the money is there for the right player.

FSG would have considered that amount from Caicedo as an expense for the future. There are many suggestions that Chelsea have overpaid for the Ecuadorian, who has just one full Premier League season to his name, with the London outfit having previously tried to sign him for £80m. But given the way the transfer market is still bloated and Chelsea have signed Caicedo on a nine-year contract, including his one-year option, he could be worth more than £115m if he keeps his promise. undisputed.

The next step FSG takes into the market, and the money has proven to be there, will certainly be looking for both value for the here and now and the potential to help seriously in the trophy hunt, and with that lucrative prize money, how and for ensure there is significant resale value should this be a necessary avenue. Cheick Doucoure is a strongly associated name, although the Crystal Palace man’s £60m-plus asking price may not tick both boxes for Anfield decision-makers.

Bayern Munich’s Ryan Gravenberch and Fluminense’s Andre Trindade are two others being watched by the club, with the duo’s value significantly lower than that advertised for Doucoure, with Premier League clubs more able and willing to hit the absolutely premium price tag that he it’s about selling their most important assets.

By signing Endo, Liverpool ticked a box many had expected in terms of experience after landing an extremely young talent. This plan has been put forward due to failures to bring in Caicedo and Lavia and because another Liverpool-linked player, Fulham’s Joao Palhinha, is set to fetch over £60m, although he is 28 years old. Liverpool’s move for Endo may mean a willingness to spend big.

to acquire a key midfield asset that can contribute to success and also has a high ceiling for development and appreciation.

By the end of the month, fans will know the answer, but showing their hand for Caicedo, there may be little excuse not to spend big when the goal calls for it and ticks the boxes the owner is aiming for. as part of its proven strategy.