Liverpool Splash Out To Secure Status As Premier League's Top Dogs
Jeremie Frimpong has also made the move from Germany with the daunting task of replacing Trent Alexander-Arnold at right-back, while Milos Kerkez joined from Bournemouth as the long-term successor to Andy Robertson at left-back.
More defensive reinforcements are imminent with the club closing in on deals for Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi and 18-year-old Italian centre-back Giovanni Leoni from Parma.
But it is the potential addition of Newcastle striker Alexander Isak for a British transfer record fee in excess of 115 million pounds that is the transfer saga of the English summer.
Risky and rare strategy
Liverpool were among the lowest Premier League spenders last year as Slot oversaw a steady transition from Jurgen Klopp in spectacular style.
A huge investment this time round is also possible because the Reds are among the slickest movers in the market when it comes to sales.
The departures of Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez, Jarell Quansah, Caoimhin Kelleher, Alexander-Arnold and Tyler Morton have raised around 200 million pounds.
Liverpool's bold strategy of tearing up a title-winning team is a risky and rare experiment.
Only once, Manchester City in 2019, have the Premier League champions been the biggest spending English club in the market since 2007.
After years of battling against the financial power of Abu Dhabi-backed City, Liverpool are now flexing their muscles thanks to years of commercial growth and prudent ownership.
"It doesn't feel Liverpool-like to me," said former defender Jamie Carragher at the thought of a new 69 million pounds striker Ekitike playing second fiddle to Isak.
After decades in the doldrums prior to Klopp's arrival, Liverpool are aiming to bring back glory days the club has not since the 1980s.
The last time Liverpool won back-to-back titles was in 1984 and doing so this season would come with the added bonus of overtaking Manchester United as English football's top dogs.
To do so, Slot has recognised the need to strike the right balance that still harnesses the best from his side's extra firepower.
A pre-season trend of high-scoring encounters continued in losing the Community Shield to Crystal Palace on penalties after twice blowing the lead.
"Now we are better in creating and getting promising situations than we were, in my opinion, throughout the whole of last season," said Slot.
"What made us really strong last season was we only won mostly by a margin of one goal and that had mostly to do with us keeping a clean sheet or as a maximum conceding one goal."
Liverpool also have extra motivation to defend their title as they try to honour a lost friend and team-mate in Diogo Jota.
The Portuguese international was killed aged just 28 alongside his brother after a car accident in northern Spain last month.
Tributes to Jota will continue throughout the season with "Forever 20" -- his shirt number, which the club have now retired -- printed on Liverpool's jerseys.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hans India
3 minutes ago
- Hans India
'It's unacceptable in every football stadium, let alone at Anfield': Slot on Semenyo's racist abuse
Liverpool: Liverpool manager Arne Slot said that there is no room for racism in football and the abuse faced by Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo at Anfield was "unacceptable". The Premier League opener between reigning champions and Bournemouth was stopped for several minutes during the first half following an allegation of "discriminatory abuse" from a supporter towards Semenyo. Referee Anthony Taylor informed both managers, Slot and Andoni Iraola, about the incident reported by Ghana international Semenyo. "I think it is under investigation with the police now and the club made a very clear statement about what we feel about this. Unfortunately, we definitely have to talk about this, it's a good thing you talk about this and it's a good thing that I have to answer this, but after actually this day should be about Diogo and about how the tribute was. But we definitely need to address this because it's unacceptable in every football stadium, let alone at Anfield. I spoke to him (Semenyo) after the game that we will try to do everything to find that person. I am not 100 per cent sure but I think they already found him. That's a good thing. "Wherever we can help him we will try to do so. Big credit to him, if something happens like this and you can perform so well in the second half then he's not only a great player, because that I can see (with) how fast he is, but he is also very strong mentally. If something like that happened (and) to get such a second-half performance, that sums up him as a person and him as a player. But, again, (it's) unacceptable in football in general, let alone at Anfield," Slot said in the post-match press conference after a 4-2 win. Premier League, Liverpool and Bournemouth all condemned the incident and extended full support to Semenyo. "We condemn racism and discrimination in all forms, it has no place in society or football. The club is unable to comment further as tonight's alleged incident is the subject of an ongoing police investigation, which we will support fully," Liverpool said. "A great player but above all, a great human being. Only a strong character shows such resilience in those circumstances. We love you and are all with you, Antoine," Bournemouth posted on X. Premier League statement read, "Tonight's match between Liverpool Football Club and AFC Bournemouth was temporarily paused during the first half after a report of discriminatory abuse from the crowd, directed at Bournemouth's Antoine Semenyo. "This is in line with the Premier League's on-field anti-discrimination protocol. The incident at Anfield will now be fully investigated. We offer our full support to the player and both clubs. Racism has no place in our game, or anywhere in society. "We will continue to work with stakeholders and authorities to ensure our stadiums are an inclusive and welcoming environment for all."
Time of India
16 minutes ago
- Time of India
Can vertical SaaS transform niche industries with artificial intelligence
Some of the most interesting startup pitches I see these days do not promise to change the world. They promise to change a workflow, with artificial intelligence solving a critical problem of a particular industry. A messy, outdated, painful process that is too niche for large software giants to notice. That is the magic of vertical SaaS powered by artificial intelligence. Also, these businesses need very little venture capital to reach escape velocity, also known as breakeven at scale. Hence, the guerrilla way of venture building. As a seed investor, I believe this category is quietly reshaping how industries function, one focused solution at a time. Independence Day 2025 Modi signals new push for tech independence with local chips Before Trump, British used tariffs to kill Indian textile Bank of Azad Hind: When Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose gave India its own currency For those unfamiliar, vertical SaaS refers to software products or platforms built specifically for a single industry or use case. Examples include a debt collection solution used by banks and NBFCs to improve recovery and compliance, a sustainability reporting tool built for textile manufacturers to track emissions and meet ESG norms, or a customer conversation platform that uses artificial intelligence to assist call centre agents in real time. Their value lies in deep domain knowledge, built to navigate the unique rules, workflows, and challenges of each industry. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like War Thunder - Register now for free and play against over 75 Million real Players War Thunder Play Now Undo As venture capitalists, we are not just chasing trends, we are also looking for signals. And in the case of vertical SaaS, the signals are strong. These startups tend to have longer-lasting customer relationships, stronger margins, and much clearer paths to profitability. Their clients rarely churn because once an industry-specific tool is integrated into daily operations, replacing it is painful. That creates stickiness, and stickiness builds enduring companies. But what is really interesting is the timing. Several things are coming together to make this moment ripe for vertical SaaS. Cloud infrastructure is now robust and affordable, allowing startups to build faster and scale without massive upfront investment. Even traditional businesses, from clinics to small factories, are now open to digitisation, especially when the solutions speak directly to their problems. Live Events At the same time, artificial intelligence, often viewed as a general-purpose technology, is supercharging these vertical solutions. A chatbot trained on dermatology data with over one thousand patient conversations can outperform any generic artificial intelligence model in a clinical setting. That is the power of specificity, and it is what makes artificial intelligence in vertical SaaS truly transformative. I often get asked why not just invest in broader platforms that can scale across industries. The answer lies in focus. Startups that go deep into one sector understand their customers better. Their messaging is clearer. Their sales cycles are shorter. They do not have to educate the market on the value of software. They show how their product solves a known, painful problem. That is a huge advantage, especially in emerging markets where trust and usability are everything. We are seeing this play out across India and other developing economies. From supply chain platforms for agri-exporters to legal tech tools for small law firms, entrepreneurs are spotting inefficiencies that have long been ignored. These are not glamorous problems, but they are real, and solving them creates real value. In many cases, these startups are not even competing with other software. They are replacing pen and paper, Excel sheets, and WhatsApp groups. That is an enormous opportunity. Of course, capital plays a crucial role, but it is not just about writing cheques. At the early stage, vertical SaaS startups often need guidance on how to sell, how to price, and how to build for scale without losing their niche. As venture capitalists, we bring not only capital but also access. Access to pilot customers, to advisors from within the industry, and to talent that understands both technology and the specific sector. I have seen companies unlock growth just by getting introduced to the right distribution channel or hiring someone who has worked on the client side of the industry. What is also heartening is how founders in this space tend to operate. Many come from the industries they are trying to fix. They have seen the gaps firsthand, often as bankers, engineers, teachers, or logistics operators. They decided to build solutions because nobody else was solving the problems they encountered daily. That lived experience brings empathy, and it reflects in the product. The interface is more intuitive. The features are more relevant. The onboarding feels less like software and more like a helping hand. There is also something to be said about the resilience of vertical SaaS models. Most operate on a subscription basis, creating predictable revenue. Contracts are often annual, if not multi-year. This gives startups the stability to reinvest in product development and customer success, both of which matter a lot more when you are solving for depth rather than breadth. It also gives investors like us the confidence that the business can withstand market swings better than many flashier counterparts. After investing in several such companies at the pre-seed stage and witnessing their journeys first-hand, we have seen a clear pattern emerge. In categories like debt recovery, construction management and artificial intelligence-enabled sales platforms, it is possible to reach ₹300 crore in topline within the first five years when founders are solving a deep, industry-specific pain point and distribution is cracked early. With strong product-market fit, the path to ₹500–1000 crore revenue becomes a question of execution, not potential. None of this is to say that vertical SaaS is easy. Going deep into one sector means founders must be patient. The total addressable market might look small at first glance. But once the product proves itself, expansion into adjacent segments or into new geographies with similar market structures becomes a natural next step. And that is when growth really takes off. Looking ahead, I believe the next decade will see vertical SaaS companies emerge not just as profitable businesses but as quiet disruptors within industries that desperately need modernisation. Whether it is farming, education, construction, or logistics, sectors that are often overlooked in technology conversations will be transformed by software built not for the general market but for the people who wake up every day to real, operational problems. As investors, we are excited to partner with these founders. The ones who know that transformation does not always begin with scale. Sometimes, it starts with a small fix to a big problem. And from there, everything changes. Author is Founder and Managing Partner of Zeropearl VC .
Time of India
20 minutes ago
- Time of India
‘Not just investors...': Tax consultant says India's brightest are quietly leaving
Not just investors, but even India's top JEE rankers are leaving the country, according to tax consultant Madhav Pangarkar . Independence Day 2025 Modi signals new push for tech independence with local chips Before Trump, British used tariffs to kill Indian textile Bank of Azad Hind: When Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose gave India its own currency In a LinkedIn post, Pangarkar claimed that it's not only investors but also engineers, doctors, and high-ranking JEE achievers who are steadily moving abroad. Sharing a post by Anubhav Gupta, he wrote: "This investor is leaving India... But it's not just him saying goodbye. Every year, 60,000 to 75,000 engineers and doctors leave. Around 62% of top JEE rankers fly abroad. And we lose $2 billion to just IT brain drain." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Free P2,000 GCash eGift UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo He added: "That's the India we don't talk about — the one where the smartest quietly pack their bags. Because of corruption, red tapism, and hatred. This Independence Day, maybe we should ask: What are we losing while we celebrate?" His remarks come on the heels of the Henley Private Wealth Migration Report 2025, which revealed that India remains among the top five countries losing the most millionaires annually. The report estimates that 3,500 Indian millionaires will leave in 2025—lower than 5,100 in 2023 and 4,300 in 2024—but still among the world's highest. Collectively, these millionaires are expected to take $26.2 billion in wealth with them. Live Events However, the so-called brain drain presents a more complex picture. A Bloomberg report earlier this month noted that about 13 million Indians, including professionals and laborers, were employed overseas in 2022, while more than 760,000 students left to study abroad in 2023. Crucially, Indians abroad remitted $125 billion back home last fiscal year. The report also pointed out that while India's economy is expanding rapidly, it must generate at least 115 million jobs by the end of the decade to match its population growth—something migration helps ease. Meanwhile, Pangarkar's post drew mixed reactions. One user wrote: 'Let them leave. They thrive on the sacrifices of the poor but blame corruption and red tapism instead of taking leadership roles.' Another said: 'There are more avenues in India. If you feel neglected by reservations, build your own path and carve your own niche.'
