Liverpool owner John W Henry outlines summer transfer strategy with investment promise
Liverpool's squad is in need of a reshape ahead of this summer's transfer window with owner John W Henry opening up on his strategy in the market after several years of success
Liverpool owner John W Henry insists he wants to spend in a "responsible manner" this summer after being quizzed on the club's transfer strategy.
The American, who heads the Fenway Sports Group who own the Reds, has been at the helm for over a decade. The appointment of Jurgen Klopp is 2015 has proved to be the catalyst for huge success with Liverpool claiming every trophy on offer since the German's arrival.
Henry has seen the Merseysiders conquer Europe and end their three-decade wait for a top flight title, but the success of that group appears to be coming to an end. Liverpool have endured an inconsistent season and could yet miss out on the top four with talk of a rebuild this summer.
Several of Klopp's key lieutenants are now beyond their peaks and a refresh is required, especially in midfield, if Liverpool are to remain competitive - with a mega-move for Jude Bellingham being touted in the region of £100-150million. The Reds have continued to invest with the American owners breaking the transfer record on several occasions, but Henry is keen to keep a healthy balance sheet.
He told the Liverpool Echo : “We continue building at Liverpool Football Club in a responsible manner. We’ve seen many football clubs (including LFC previously) go down unsustainable paths. We have and will continue to focus our attention on investing wisely in the transfer market and we remain incredibly proud of our squad."
Darwin Nunez was the marquee signing in the summer whilst Cody Gakpo was added in January. The club's transfer business, led by Klopp and the now departed Michael Edwards, was for a long time the gold standard of recruitment in Europe, but that is now up for debate.
Despite the acceptance that Liverpool must spend to keep up, Henry, who signed the club up to the European Super League before huge fan backlash, is in favour of spending caps.
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He added: “The league itself is extraordinarily successful and is the greatest football competition in the world, but we’ve thought for some time there should be limits on spending so that the league doesn’t go the way of European leagues where one or two clubs annually have little competition."
Liverpool, who look set to finish the season without a trophy, are looking to build for the future amid uncertainty around the ownership. Henry is open to new investment coming into the club, which would provide them with a cash injection to compete with the likes of Manchester City.
“While we formalised a process that has identified potential investors for the club, we remain fully committed to the long-term success of the club," claimed the 73-year-old, who also owns MLB franchise Boston Red Sox.
"That has been the case since day one in 2010. Our efforts every day have been and continue to be focused on the long-term health and competitiveness of the club. Investment in the club is never for the short-term. This approach has been successful over the long haul with patience necessary from time to time."
