Thiago, Diogo Jota and Liverpool’s Michael Edwards latest masterstroke

When Liverpool refused to squander Timo Werner over the summer, Chelsea swooped in and landed the German forward.

Werner, red-hot with RB Leipzig last season, seemed like an ideal fit for the Premier League champions.

At 24, he has his best years ahead of him, he is liked by Jurgen Klopp, he has experience in the Champions League and last season he added a more solid game to his undoubted scoring ability under Julian Nagelsmann.

Able to play from the left or through the middle, it seemed like a fitting arrival to help improve the club’s current vaunted trio of strikers of Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane.

But with suitors needing to pay for their £ 53m purchase clause in advance, amid the coronavirus pandemic and with its potential financial implications, Liverpool took a step back.

Chelsea, no longer under a transfer embargo, moved quickly, wasted the money and has since added more than £ 150 million to other talents, including Kai Havertz, Hakim Ziyech and Ben Chilwell, in a summer of big spending.

Meanwhile, the Reds have kept the powder dry.

Kostas Tsimikas came from Olympiacos to rival Andy Robertson on the left-back, but with Jurgen Klopp declaring that Liverpool “are not country-owned or oligarchy,” he has been unable to spend.

Until Friday everything changed.

First, Liverpool confirmed the signing of Thiago Alcantara, the playmaker of Bayern Munich, winner of the Champions League with seven consecutive Bundesliga titles in his back pocket, on a possible £ 26 million contract. , with 20 million guaranteed.

Then when the fanfare over the Spaniard’s arrival began to subside slightly, sporting director Michael Edwards quickly signed a deal with the Wolves for Portugal international Diogo Jota, worth a potential £ 45 million, with £ 41 million guaranteed.

Out of nowhere, amid suggestions they couldn’t spend, the champions suddenly spilled out, spending at least £ 65 million with another £ 10 million on add-ons.

Except not quite. Well, not yet.

Edwards, who doesn’t seek publicity as some sports directors often do, has earned a reputation as one of the toughest negotiators in soccer.

It’s a long way from when he was once ridiculed as a “laptop guru who did a number with Brendan Rodgers.”

Now, at a time of financial uncertainty in football, when Klopp has wanted to get stronger but Liverpool owners have been unwilling to overcommit funds, he has produced for everyone.

First of all, Thiago, who throughout the summer has had his heart set on a new challenge at Anfield, but whom Liverpool had constantly informed that he was not expecting.

Until Thursday, when they confirmed that a fee had been agreed upon after Edwards traded Bayern below their starting price of £ 27 million.

Knowing that Thiago just wanted to move to Anfield, and with the 29-year-old’s contract expiring next summer, Edwards stood firm before striking a deal with his counterpart Hasan Salihamidzic, who sees Liverpool distribute their guaranteed starting fee of £ 20 million on his four-year contract.

So they are now paying just £ 5 million.

With Jota, it’s a similar story.

Unlike Watford’s Werner and Ismaila Sarr, in whom they also had an interest, the Lobos have been gracious in staggering the payout for the Portuguese, who recently scored his first goal for Seleccao.

It’s something the Wolves are happy to do, if it means a little more income in the long run; They have done something similar with Leeds when it comes to Helder Costa and Fulham with Ivan Cavaleiro.

Valued by the Wolves at £ 35 million, Edwards and Liverpool have struck a deal in which, yes, they will pay a bit more in the long run, but they get their man and commit a little over £ 4 million now. “Liverpool are going to have a great player,” says Wolves coach Nuno Espirito Santo.

Combined, that means Liverpool have added a genuinely world-class midfield metronome that will add more variety to the team’s attacks and a talented, diligent and hard-working forward with a tremendous advantage for around £ 9 million here and now.

And it doesn’t end there.

They’ll get it back immediately, after negotiating a deal to sell teenage defender Ki-Jana Hoever to the Wolves for £ 9 million, up to £ 13.5 million with add-ons.

The Dutchman was highly qualified at Anfield but needed games and with five central defense options ahead of him in the pecking order, plus Trent Alexander-Arnold and Neco Williams on the right back, they have cashed in.

Two players from the first team enter and a young man leaves. Balanced books.

Not only does he give Klopp what he wants, but he also gives the club time, both to see how things continue amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, and to sell fringe players like Xherdan Shaqiri, Divock Origi, Harry Wilson. and Marko Grujic without having to. reduce prices.

From Liverpool’s perspective, what they have done in recent days has been a masterstroke.

In 2017, an online petition was created for Edwards to be fired from his post.

“Michael Edwards is incompetent,” the opening reads. “He’s useless, just useless,” declares the first comment.

It has not aged well.

And what Edwards has accomplished in the last few days is just one more test.

Will Diogo Jota be a hit at Anfield? Say your opinion below.

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