Arne Slot hopes contentious Liverpool transfer secures top five finish

Arne Slot hopes Liverpool’s contentious decision to sign two No 9s will prove smart in the battle to finish inside the top five and secure Champions League football next season.

The Reds spent £450m last summer, with up to £204m on Hugo Ekitike for a fee that could rise to £79m, while Isak cost a club record £125m later in the window from Newcastle.

Despite widespread debate throughout the campaign surrounding Liverpool’s strategy to pool their resources into one area of the pitch, Slot maintains the move to add quality depth up top could prove decisive in salvaging the club’s season after the painful midweek European exit at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain.

“It's a good thing we signed two No 9s,” Slot maintained ahead of this weekend’s Merseyside derby. “A lot of people were debating why we signed two No 9s.

“Now we thought maybe it's a smart idea to not be the only club in the world to have one No 9, that's why we signed two. Now, all of a sudden, it looks good.

“Now people are questioning if we should sign another No 9. He was talking about five, six, seven or eight [signings this summer]. Somebody said the day after [Ekitike’s season-ending injury against PSG], you can't write the script, on the day after Alex is back, his first start, the other one leaves with a long injury.

“It's a good thing Alex is back, even more, it wouldn't be the first time I play without a particular position, many times this season, without the right full-back available, for example. We'd have adjusted as well, it's nice to have Alex back. But we know he's not ready to play 90.”

Slot also underlined Ekitike’s potential to come back stronger, though the striker is yet to undergo surgery on his ruptured Achilles.

"He's not been operated on yet,” Slot revealed. “Devastating for him. Coming to a new club, having so much impact right away, playing against your former club in the Champions League, so much more to come in the summer.

“Our thoughts are with him at this time, missing out on so many special moments. He won't be the first or the last to experience this at the start of his career. There are so many players that came back stronger, I'm so sure he'll be one of those and can look back and say it made him stronger to reach a higher level."