Arne Slot rebukes pundits over Liverpool's £450m spending as Alexander Isak poised for debut

Liverpool manager Arne Slot on Tuesday publicly criticised pundits he said "favour other clubs" for focusing on the club's £450m summer outlay, while confirming new signing Alexander Isak is set to make his debut in Wednesday's Champions League opener against Atlético Madrid at Anfield.

The deadline-day acquisition of Sweden striker Isak from Newcastle for a British-record fee of £125m took Liverpool's total summer spending on eight players to £450m. Slot said that figure should be considered alongside more than £250m recovered through player sales, and he defended the club's decision to target younger recruits.

"There is so much focus on our new signings, especially from pundits that favour some other clubs in the country that cannot stop talking about £450m," Slot said at his pre-match news conference. "I repeat, £450m, £450m! But they forget about [nearly] £300m that we have sold [players] for. So, yes, if we want to strengthen the squad we need to spend that much money."

Slot described Liverpool's transfer window as "great business," noting that all eight signings are aged 25 or under. "I think it is only a compliment that people tell everyone we have spent so much because that tells you the players we brought in are seen as very good players," he said. "Some other teams prefer to bring in 27-year-olds because they are ready, but we think we have brought in players who are 21, 22 [and] who are ready."

Isak, 25, did not feature in Sunday's 1-0 Premier League win at Burnley because he remains short of match fitness after missing pre-season. Slot said the striker trained alone at his former club as he pursued the move to Anfield and will need extra work to reach full fitness.

"He is part of the squad, so it's already a Champions League game to look forward to, but if people look forward to his playing time, that could mean that could happen tomorrow as well," Slot said. "He [Isak] is 100% sure will not play 90 minutes against Atlético but indicated he will play a part against the La Liga side. The moment he is fit, match fit, [he] can play 90, and then the next step is playing three times in a week 90 minutes."

Isak's only appearance this season came as an 18-minute substitute for Sweden in a 2-0 loss to Kosovo last week. Slot said the striker's principal challenge is to restore the fitness level that produced a productive season at Newcastle, and he expressed confidence in Isak's ability to contribute goals.

Slot also reiterated the club's recent financial strategy, pointing to a low-spend previous summer when Liverpool spent about £10m. "I think all the money we have spent we generated ourselves by selling, and by winning the league after we didn't buy anyone at all," he said.

The comments come amid heightened scrutiny of transfer activity across the Premier League, with some media and former players questioning the sustainability and timing of large fees. Slot framed Liverpool's approach as deliberate investment in younger players with potential to contribute over several seasons rather than immediate, older acquisitions.

Liverpool's Champions League opener against Atlético Madrid at Anfield will provide an early test of how quickly the new signings can be integrated into Slot's team. The manager said Isak's role will expand as his fitness improves and highlighted the stepped progression he expects: short appearances, longer spells and eventually full matches across a congested schedule.

Slot's assertions underline the club's stance that spending and sales should be viewed together when assessing transfer windows, and that Liverpool's recent activity is part of a longer-term sporting plan rather than an isolated splurge.