Richard Hughes’ legacy as Liverpool’s sporting director isn’t yet clear.
Despite spending over £700 million in five transfer windows, breaking the British transfer record twice and signing three players for over £110 million, many feel that the executive actually took the club backwards.
Hughes oversaw a Premier League win, but the side quickly slid down the table afterwards and now looks a way off being able to compete despite the massive investment.
The Scot, now employed by Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal, made several mistakes during his time at Anfield, but a mistake from his final window in charge is now becoming increasingly clear.
Hughes’ summer blunder now costing Liverpool
As well as a couple of massive arrivals, see Bradley Barcola and Jeremy Jacquet, Liverpool authorised several major exits last summer.
Andy Robertson, Ibrahima Konate and Mohamed Salah all left the club for free, and boyhood Red Curtis Jones was sold to Inter Milan for just £30 million.
Jones had been at Anfield for his entire career, rising through the ranks of the Kirkby academy and captaining Liverpool at multiple youth levels.
To see an academy graduate, and not to mention a local hero, shipped off for an almost negligible transfer fee was disheartening for many of the Anfield faithful, but the bigger concern was the fact that no replacement arrived.
The 25-year-old played more minutes in the season before he was sold than he had done in any other campaign in his career and had become a very important and versatile figure in Arne Slot’s side.
One of the reasons that the Reds’ recruitment team opted not to sign a replacement was to show faith in Trey Nyoni, who has impressed this season, but it is clear that Iraola’s side are desperate for midfield reinforcements.