Slot says Liverpool do not have unlimited money as Guehi and Semenyo links persist after £450m summer spend

Arne Slot insisted Liverpool do not have unlimited money despite their £450million summer outlay and said any talk of January reinforcements must be understood in that context. The Liverpool manager argued that the club balanced its big-spend season by selling more than £200million worth of players, a strategy that allows some flexibility but also carries limitations. He urged patience with a squad that has been strained by injuries and heavy fixtures, stressing that a pragmatic approach to recruitment remains in place.

Liverpool remain focused on Marc Guehi after the £35million deadline-day move collapsed and the club continues to monitor Antoine Semenyo, whose £65million release clause remains active until January 10. Guehi has attracted interest from Manchester City, Bayern Munich and other European clubs, while Semenyo is also on the radar of City, Manchester United and Tottenham. Slot argued that the outside world wants to believe the club has a bottomless pit of cash, but insiders know the financial framework and the contributions from player sales that fund additions. He warned that in the short term there can be gaps, such as a lack of a reliable right-back, but added that Liverpool are still capable of winning games under their current plan. Slot pointed to the summer signing of Giovanni Leoni for £26million from Parma, a player who then suffered an ACL injury on his debut. The injury to Giovanni has quite a lot of impact, he said, noting that Joe Gomez is again unavailable for Saturday’s trip to Tottenham. Conor Bradley and Jeremie Frimpong will return to the squad but neither has been consistently fit this year. ‘If you have four centre backs for the season, two right and two left backs with Wata (Endo) and Ryan (Gravenberch) who can help you out, but then you have an ACL injury, that is not very helpful. It is tough. And unfortunately Joe (Gomez) is now out of the squad again tomorrow. In a season, these moments for most teams happen. Some teams have so many (options) but most other teams do not. This is our way of working at Liverpool.’ The club has not ruled out winter moves and have a history of moving planned summer signings forward when needed, as illustrated by prior cases such as Cody Gakpo and Luis Diaz.

Guehi’s camp remains in touch with Liverpool, and the club has done leg-work on Semenyo, who has a release clause of £65million active until January 10. The deal for Guehi collapsed on deadline day in the summer after Palace chairman Steve Parish reportedly blocked the move, but Liverpool retain a good relationship with Guehi’s representatives and continue to monitor his situation as the market evolves. The club’s broader transfer picture is shaped by injuries and long-term planning; Dominik Szoboszlai is expected to be fit to face Spurs after an ankle issue, while Cody Gakpo remains ruled out for at least two more games. Liverpool’s strategies in January will be tempered by the balance between risk and reward that Slot has described publicly.

Slot’s public stance reflects a broader philosophy: money is not unlimited, but the club will pursue quality when it aligns with a coherent plan and the squad’s needs. January additions, if any, would be measured against the budgetary framework the club has outlined, with priority given to positions where depth is currently lacking. The Reds have already shown a willingness to adjust their schedule when necessary, and the history of moving summer targets forward—such as Gakpo and Diaz in recent years—remains a reference point. The focus remains on a squad capable of competing on multiple fronts, while avoiding overextension in the transfer market.

As Liverpool prepare for a key Premier League clash, Slot emphasized that injuries require flexibility from the squad but should not derail the club’s longer-term strategy. The season has underscored the fragility of depth in the modern game, particularly in central defence and wide positions. With Gomez sidelined and Leoni's injury record a cautionary tale, Slot trusts that the combination of senior defenders, emerging talent, and adaptable midfielders can carry the team through a congested period. He stated that the club’s approach remains to optimize what they have while keeping one eye on the January window, ready to seize opportunities that meet the club’s financial and sporting criteria. The team will travel to Tottenham with Gomez unavailable, and while Bradley and Frimpong are back in the mix, their fitness will be monitored as the schedule tightens.