Liverpool's biggest summer mistake is now very clear

Liverpool’s business over the past three transfer windows has been bold, but there have been some mistakes along the way.

The Reds broke the British transfer record twice in one window just 18 months ago, have added three players for over £110 million and spent a total of over £650 million since winning the Premier League in 2025.

Andoni Iraola’s squad feels some way from being complete however, and the decision to sell Curtis Jones this summer without signing a replacement has looked increasingly naive as the campaign has progressed.

Liverpool could use another elite midfielder, and their biggest mistake was not singing a player who ended up at one of their biggest rivals.

Elliot Anderson proves to be Liverpool’s biggest mistake

One of the players who had been heavily linked with a Merseyside move for some time was Elliot Anderson, who made the switch from Nottingham Forest to Manchester City for £116 million in the summer.

Anderson is widely regarded as one of the Premier League’s best midfielders, and he showed exactly why he has earned that reputation when City visited Anfield on Sunday.

In what ended up being an embarrassing collapse for Liverpool, the 23-year-old shone, having the most touches in the game, making the most passes, winning the most duels and also winning the most fouls in the match.

The recruitment team at Anfield will have been watching on, wondering what could’ve been if the England international had moved to Merseyside over Manchester.

The Reds have proven they are not afraid to sign two players for over £100 million in the same window, they did exactly that in the summer of 2025 when they signed Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak for a combined £240 million.

The outlay for Anderson and Bradley Barcola would have been an almost identical figure, but Iraola’s squad would feel considerably better suited to compete on all fronts with Anderson at the heart.

Man City won the race for Anderson though, and the Citizens are reaping the rewards now, winning their opening six Premier League games and sitting three points clear at the top of the table.

The club’s recent guilty verdict could prove troublesome though, with City being found guilty of over 100 rule breaches and facing a potentially crippling punishment.

If Enzo Maresca’s side are relegated and forced into a fire sale with players desperate to get out, Elliot Anderson should be the absolute top priority for Liverpool.