Robbie Fowler believes that Liverpool must perfect their summer transfer activity to maintain progress under Jurgen Klopp after his former side were held to a goalless draw by Patrick Vieira's Crystal Palace.
The Reds failed to make it three consecutive Premier League wins last night at Selhurst Park and currently sit six points behind fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur in seventh.
While an upcoming Anfield double-header against Wolverhampton Wanderers and Manchester United could be pivotal in determining the club's UEFA Champions League fate, it cannot be argued that Liverpool have underwhelmed this season.
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Both fans and media have attributed the lack of new faces amongst Klopp's squad as a reason for their downturn in form and there is an ever-increasing demand to see owners FSG splash out on big names this summer despite their desire to receive fresh investment in the club.
Fowler agrees with such sentiments, writing in his column for The Mirror: "So yeah, the owners MUST spend big money in the summer, but it’s a bigger issue than that. The recruitment has to be near perfect as it was in the past too, with elite-level players who can make a big difference immediately.
"That won’t come cheap. And it may not be wise to spend what money they have on one player. Let’s say the summer budget is £130m and they spend it on Jude Bellingham, one player just won’t solve the team problem they’ve got.
"I think they need three players to go straight into the starting XI, at least. You’re not finding two of them for no fee. So either the budget is far beyond Bellingham’s fee (if they can get him), or they look for three players at £45m each.
"That’s tough in today’s market, but it may be the sensible option… if the recruitment team can reproduce their previous golden touch which found so many players who so quickly proved to be amongst the elite."
He also suggested that the Reds should alter their recruitment strategy and focus on signing proven talent rather than potential.
"I’m not having a go in any way at the players involved, but how much have they spent on effectively refreshing their forward line and replacing Sadio Mane? A conservative estimate says £150m," said Fowler, who scored 183 goals in 369 appearances across two spells at Anfield.
"But what have they got for that money - and it’s a huge amount, despite the fans complaining the owners haven’t invested? Potential, that’s what.
"Darwin Nunez looks exciting at times, but he’s far from the finished article, and it could be quite a while if we see him fulfil, if at all. I think the same could be said of Cody Gakpo. Neither of them hit the ground running, and that’s being kind.
"Luis Diaz was a little different. You could argue he was Liverpool’s best player until he got injured. But as a replacement for Mane? Not on the same page yet as a finisher. And the injury problems he’s already had hardly instil confidence.
"I think that’s been one of the major issues. They’ve spent money, but it seems to be club policy to go out and buy young talent, rather than the finished article, despite the high prices."
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