Carragher slams Liverpool over ‘baffling’ £200m priority instead of ‘pushing the boat’ out for £130m star

Jamie Carragher thinks most Liverpool fans “would have willingly accepted” the outlay on Cody Gakpo being “kept back” and spent on Jude Bellingham instead.

The Reds have had a terrible season by their standards with Jurgen Klopp’s side currently eighth in the Premier League, 12 points adrift of fourth-placed Man Utd – who occupy the crucial final Champions League spot – and 29 points behind leaders Arsenal.

Their poor season has been even more baffling by the fact that they were just two games away from winning an unprecedented Quadruple last term.

Klopp’s midfield have come in for a large chunk of the blame with reliable regulars from previous seasons not looking the same players.

There had been speculation that Liverpool were ready to spend big on Borussia Dortmund’s Bellingham in the summer transfer window after not bringing in any new permanent midfielders last summer.

But reports this week claimed that Liverpool are now firmly out of the race for Bellingham and .

And Carragher isn’t happy with the club’s current transfer policy after heaping praise on Liverpool in the past for their brilliant recruitment.

Carragher wrote in the Daily Telegraph: “Liverpool have spent over £200 million on strikers, and given Mohamed Salah a massive new contract, since they last bought a first-choice central midfielder.

“Those deals were necessary as Roberto Firmino was declining, and good money was recouped for 30-year-old Sadio Mane.

“Then Cody Gakpo signed for £40 million in January, even though the side was crying out for more midfield energy. Gakpo has made a promising start. I like him. But now it is even more baffling that another striker was prioritised.

“Most supporters would have willingly accepted the Gakpo outlay being kept back to turn a £90 million Bellingham bid into a £130 million signing.

“This is the first time I have openly questioned Liverpool’s transfer policy during the Klopp era.

“I get that Liverpool cannot spend like Manchester City, and they are not and should never be like Chelsea, who seem to sign highly rated, mega-expensive players on a whim without any idea how or where they will fit into the team and manager’s vision.

“Liverpool did so with Van Dijk and Alisson, and a similar statement with Bellingham would have transformed expectations going into next season.”