Liverpool manager Arne Slot says a long list of injuries has limited the impact of major summer signings and damaged the club’s Premier League title defence, with Liverpool already trailing leaders Arsenal by 10 points midway through the campaign.
Slot’s side are trying to retain the Premier League crown but face a growing challenge after losing key new arrivals for long spells, while recent results have not fully reflected the heavy investment made in the latest transfer window.
The champions committed around 450m on transfers in the summer, the biggest single-window spend in Premier League history. That included a British-record 125m move for Alexander Isak from Newcastle United and a reported 116.5m deal for Florian Wirtz, as Liverpool attempted
to refresh the attack and add creativity.
Isak’s start has been difficult. The forward has managed only two league goals for Liverpool so far and is now ruled out for at least two months after suffering a fractured leg during a win over Tottenham shortly before Christmas, a setback that has disrupted Slot’s plans in the final third.
Wirtz finally opened the Liverpool account in the victory against Wolves on Saturday, scoring the first goal since arriving from Bayer Leverkusen. Jeremie Frimpong has also struggled for rhythm, starting only five of 11 matches because of repeated minor fitness issues that have stopped the wing-back building consistency on the right flank.
Defender Giovanni Leoni endured the hardest luck of all the new recruits. The signing from Parma sustained a season-ending injury on debut in September, further reducing rotation options in defence and placing more strain on Liverpool’s remaining centre-backs during a busy domestic and European schedule.
pic.twitter.com/YTJmKXSEUC Liverpool FC (@LFC) December 28, 2025
Discussing the situation, Slot addressed the debate around spending. "I think a lot has been said by so many people about the amount of money we've spent, Slot said. But unfortunately, not all of the money we've spent we have used and that has to do with the injuries of these players. " Slot’s comments underline how absences have reduced squad depth.
Despite problems, Liverpool could climb into the top four before facing Leeds United at Anfield on Thursday. That depends on Chelsea’s result against Bournemouth on Tuesday, as a failure for Chelsea to win would allow Slot’s team to enter the Leeds match already back among the Champions League positions.
