Carragher backs Liverpool decision not to sign £52m Man Utd talent as he names star Slot wants gone

Jamie Carragher insists Liverpool made the “right decision” not to pursue the signing of recent Manchester United capture Leny Yoro – and has named the senior Reds player who does not have a future under Arne Slot and who he expects will soon be shown the door.

The new era at Liverpool will officially get underway on Saturday when the Reds travel to new boys Ipswich for their Premier League opener in what will be Slot’s first competitive game as manager. Having sailed through their pre-season programme with a number of high-profile victories, optimism is strong at Anfield that the Dutchman can build on the marvellous legacy left behind by club icon Jurgen Klopp.

With Slot stressing early on that most of his work will start on the training ground, it will be interesting to see both how Liverpool line-up and the tactics they employ. Their corner kick routines have already provoked a stir and illustrated just how much Slot can impact the club. But they will very much hope the best is yet to come.

Incredibly, though, Liverpool look highly likely to go into Saturday lunchtime’s game without a new signing in their ranks and they remain the only side in the Premier League yet to make an addition so far.

IN DEPTH: All the done deals by Premier League clubs in the summer 2024 transfer window

It’s not through a lack of trying, though. Liverpool this week thought they had a deal wrapped up for Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi, having agreed to meet the £51.3m (€60m) clause in his deal and agreeing sizeable personal terms with the midfielder.

However, after careful deliberation, the Euro 2024 winner decided to stay at his hometown club and will instead negotiate a new deal there, though that will be for some distance less than the package Liverpool were willing to pay.

Carragher backs Liverpool decision not to rival Man Utd to Leny Yoro

There was a case of another who got away too earlier this summer in the form of young French defender Yoro.

He was on Liverpool’s radar first early on in the summer window when it became apparent he was ready to leave Lille and while Liverpool did register their initial interest, they backed away once it became clear the teenager favoured a move to Real Madrid.

That, though, did not stop United from making their move and their sizeable offer, totalling £52m, blew Los Blancos away and forced Lille – and Yoro’s hand.

Despite the situation playing out before their very eyes, Liverpool opted against making a rival move for Yoro, with Carragher explaining on the Blood Red podcast why they were right to take the stance they did.

“I am glad we aren’t a team who buys players left, right and centre,” Carragher told Blood Red. “I love the fact that we are that. When we want to get someone, we go for him. We are clinical, and more often than not, we get it done.

“I thought that might be the case with [Martin] Zubimendi [but] it hasn’t quite happened. I think we need two or three players, that is all.

DON’T MISS: The seven most expensive defenders Liverpool have ever signed, with next big deal due

“The Yoro one, I totally understand. Why would you pay £50-60 million for a young centre-back when we have Jarrell [Quansah], who has cost us nothing?

“Is he going to get enough football at our club that he would somewhere else? We have got [Ibrahima] Konate there. Do I think we need a centre-back? Yeah. But I don’t think we need a project and spending that type of money.

“If you do that, then the lad has to be playing 25-30 games a season to progress his career. I am sure that’s what they have said at Manchester United. ‘You might not be the first choice, but as soon as someone is injured, you are in, and you will get your 25-30 games’, so it was the right decision not to go through with that.”

Liverpool transfers: Carragher names star Slot wants out

As detailed earlier, Liverpool missed out on the signing of Zubimendi and it now looks unlikely they will come back in for an alternative with Slot either opting for a different style of midfielder or instead managing with the many options he has.

With the likes of Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch, Curtis Jones and Stefan Bajcetic all capable of playing as a No 6, Slot does have options there to call upon, albeit not an exact specialist.

However, one player who looks likely to be squeezed out this summer is Wataru Endo, whom Liverpool rejected an offer from Marseille for earlier this summer.

Despite that, the Japan midfielder – one of Klopp’s last ever signings at Anfield – could yet be moved on this summer and Carragher believes his sale will indeed go through before the window shuts.

“I think that last pre-season game, we all knew as players when we were playing, if you are in the team in that last standout pre-season game, then you have a great chance of playing,” Carragher added.

“It looked like he had Gravenberch in that number six position, it will be interesting who he puts there if he gets the signing that he wants from Real Sociedad over the line before then.

READ NEXT: Liverpool launch ‘first bid’ for top-class star who could replace Anfield hero

“I think the standout thing for me, in terms of the holding midfield position, the fact that we put in a bid for a player and also the manager has played every single player in that role, except Endo.

“I know he played him at the start of the tour of America. Was that against Betis? I didn’t see the game, but I saw some reports that he found it difficult. I think Endo will go. I am pretty confident of that.

“It almost looks like he is completely the opposite of what he (Slot) wants in that role. It doesn’t mean that he is a bad player. It just means that when a manager wants to play a slightly different type of game, tactics or set-up.

“I think he will play virtually everybody there instead of Endo actually – that’s why I think he will move on.”

Endo moved to Liverpool in a £16.2m move from Stuttgart last summer and made 43 appearances in his debut season at Anfield, scoring two goals.