Liverpool’s £450m spending spree fails to prevent fifth-place finish and Champions League scramble

Liverpool’s defence of the Premier League title concluded in disappointment on the final day of the 2025/26 season, as the club secured fifth place and Champions League qualification with a 1-1 draw against Brentford at Anfield. The result capped a campaign that saw the club finish with 60 points, a significant 24-point regression from their previous season’s tally, despite a summer transfer expenditure of £450 million.

Manager Arne Slot acknowledged the poor performance but expressed pride in the squad’s resilience amidst significant injuries and the emotional toll of Diogo Jota’s death. Slot described the season as one of the toughest he had experienced, citing a lack of options on the bench and fatigue against fresher opponents as key factors in their decline. He noted that while the club wanted more, the circumstances made the achievement of European qualification a form of damage limitation.

Captain Virgil van Dijk offered an unsparing verdict on the campaign, describing it as the most challenging of his career. The team’s struggles were evident in their defensive record, conceding more goals than 16th-placed Nottingham Forest, and their offensive output, which dropped by 23 goals compared to the previous season. Van Dijk played every minute of the league campaign, shouldering a heavy burden as other key players regressed or were sidelined.

Recruitment returns from high-profile signings were widely criticised, with Alexander Isak, the British record £125m signing, described as the worst signing of the season. Isak scored half as many goals as Van Dijk and ended the campaign as an unused substitute. Similarly, Florian Wirtz failed to register a goal or assist against any top-half finisher in his debut year, and none of the new signings started the final game of the season.

Despite the overall downturn, Dominik Szoboszlai emerged as the team’s standout performer, with Curtis Jones scoring the final goal of the campaign while playing right-back. Hugo Ekitike was named the club’s second-best player, despite ending the season injured. The club is reportedly considering the arrival of Etienne Reijnen, a set-piece specialist who previously worked with Slot at Feyenoord, to address tactical vulnerabilities.

Slot and director of football Richard Hughes shared a hug on the pitch after the Brentford draw, suggesting continued support from the hierarchy despite fan opposition. Slot admitted he would have done many things differently but emphasised that many issues were out of his control, particularly the injury crisis. The season ended with Liverpool back in the Champions League, but with reputations damaged and expectations for the next year considerably higher.