Liverpool F.C.'s transfer business under sporting director Richard Hughes is being evaluated after he confirmed his departure. Hughes spent £670m on 16 players across his two-year spell before his move to Saudi club Al Hilal. The club currently sits 5th in the Premier League with 5 points from three games, scoring six goals and conceding four. They are just one point behind leaders Manchester City.
Several high-profile arrivals made an immediate impact. Alexander Isak, a £125m signing from Newcastle, scored in the recent 1-1 draw away to Ipswich Town. His season was disrupted by a broken leg last December, but he remains a key figure. Florian Wirtz joined from Leverkusen for £116m and has been a creative force in midfield. Goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili, a £29m purchase from Valencia, made 19 appearances last term, keeping three clean sheets before returning to Spain on loan. Alisson Becker remains the undisputed number one, but his contract expires in 2027, making Mamardashvili's development important.
Not every investment paid off. Federico Chiesa arrived from Juventus for £12.5m but managed only two Premier League starts under former boss Arne Slot. He was later omitted from the Champions League squad by current manager Andoni Iraola, despite winning the club's player of the month award last September. Hugo Ekitike's £69m move from Frankfurt was derailed when he ruptured an Achilles tendon in April, an injury that also ruled him out of the World Cup. Youngster Giovanni Leoni, signed from Parma for £26m, made just one appearance before a serious knee injury. Iraola has said the plan is for the teenager to resume team training at the end of September.
Hughes also secured several players for squad roles. Jeremie Frimpong provided cover at right-back after his £29.5m switch from Leverkusen. Left-back Milos Kerkez joined from Bournemouth for £40m. Backup goalkeeper Freddie Woodman arrived on a free from Preston and was called into action late last season when both Alisson and Mamardashvili were injured. Young Hungarian midfielder Armin Pecsi, a £1.5m signing from Puskas, impressed for the Under-21s and made his senior international debut in June before being loaned to Austrian club Hartberg for this campaign.
The evaluation comes as Liverpool prepares for its next Premier League fixture at home to Fulham on September 12th. Fulham are currently 16th in the table. The team's recent form reads WDD, with draws against Ipswich and another opponent. Hughes, who was instrumental in appointing Arne Slot as head coach before his own exit, had informed the club of his desire to leave earlier in the year. His final major signing was Bradley Barcola, who joined from Paris Saint-Germain last month for a fee projected to be over £110m for the 2026/27 accounts. Fans can track the team's progress in the standings as the season develops. The final act of Hughes' tenure was securing a record-breaking winger as the club aims to close the one-point gap to the top.
