'Liverpool let the wrong one go' - Ferdinand blames transfer for Reds' downfall

Jacque Talbot

• Updated: 31 Jan 2023 16:14 GMT
• 3 min read

Rio Ferdinand has highlighted Sadio Mane's exit as a major reason Liverpool have faltered this season.

Their last game was a defeat to Brighton in the FA Cup - while they’re 10 points outside the Champions League place.

Mane moved to Bayern Munich in the summer while the Reds have had to contend with a number of injury problems, with Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota and Roberto Firmino are sidelined.

READ MORE: Moises Caicedo branded an ‘idiot’ over failed Arsenal transfer

And Manchester United legend Ferdinand has weighed in on their plight, saying that the selling of Mane has cost them.

"Why didn't they just pay him the money to stay?" He said on the FIVE Podcast.

"I think they let the wrong one go, they should've let Firmino go, I just don't understand how you let someone who is world-class at that moment in time, ideally who would've liked to have stayed if you gave the contract he was looking for or something similar to what [Mo] Salah got.

"I just can't get my head around it, every Liverpool fan must be sat there thinking 'wow, how have we let this slip through our hands, a player of that calibre?'"

Liverpool seemingly won't bolster the squad further in the January transfer window despite the clear need for reinforcements in that area.

Mane left while Darwin Nunez has come in - but Liverpool are still lacking in front of goal and have not looked themselves since the Senegal international left to the Bundesliga.

Earlier this month, Jurgen Klopp hit back at reporters at a press conference who quizzed him on incomings.

His side signed Netherlands forward Cody Gakpo from PSV Eindhoven for a reported initial fee of £37 million earlier in the transfer window and recalled young defender Billy Koumetio from his loan spell with Austria Vienna - but that’s where their spending has stopped.

Klopp on spending

"I don't think so,” Klopp said. "I talk about it because you ask but my job is to use the boys we have. No problem.

"We cannot solve all problems in the transfer market. I know in dreamland you would just buy players and solves all problems but I don't see that coming."

A journalist pushed on the matter and Klopp replied: "Come on, do I need to tell you again the money story? Why ask the question? We just have to get through until the boys come back [from injury]. The transfer market for us in this moment is not the solution.

"I think I've had 6,000 press conferences at Liverpool. If you want to write about this, come on."