The January transfer window is yet to officially open, but the first blockbuster Premier League arrival has already been confirmed. Cody Gakpo was a standout star at the World Cup and having been linked with Manchester United for months, the Netherlands international has been unveiled as Liverpool's latest signing.
Long-term injuries for Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota seemingly led Jurgen Klopp to act swiftly ahead of the second half of the campaign. The battle for a top-four finish was likely also prominent in the Liverpool boss' thinking, with the Reds currently five points adrift following a slow start to the season.
Newcastle's unexpected form has disrupted what has typically been a race between the 'Big Six' clubs, with Eddie Howe's side even tipped as potential title contenders in some quarters. The Magpies' solitary defeat of the campaign came in controversial circumstances at Anfield in August, with the team already unsettling the Premier League's elite both on and off the pitch.
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Klopp took aim at defending champions Manchester City and Newcastle's newfound spending power in October, insisting his side simply could not compete. The former Borussia Dortmund boss picked up on sporting director Dan Ashworth's interview to congratulate the Magpies for having 'no ceiling'.
It was a comment which drew a rare rebuttal from Howe himself, with the head coach usually avoiding public disagreements with his rival counterparts. The Newcastle boss explained the financial 'reality' was not how it has often been portrayed, and warned 'everyone' to be careful with their accusations as a result.
Financial Fair Play prevents the Magpies replicating the free-spending approach previously employed by Chelsea and City following their own lucrative takeovers. Newcastle's predicament at the start of the year has driven the total spend in excess of £200 million, but Ashworth has warned it is investment that can not be sustained without improved revenues.
Perhaps inevitably, Liverpool's first transfer move since Klopp's comments led to the sarcastic jibe resurfacing on social media. Gakpo had already registered nine goals and 12 assists in Eredivisie this term, and was said to be a target for a host of Premier League clubs in the upcoming window.
It is the Reds who have managed to seal the 23-year-old's signature, and he becomes the club's third major attacking recruit in the space of 12 months. Forwards always cost a premium, and the deals for Gakpo along with Diaz and Darwin Nunez could reportedly reach a cumulative transfer fee of £178m.
Liverpool currently do not possess the backing of a Public Investment Fund or an individual as wealthy as Sheikh Mansour, but the recent Champions League and Premier League winners still evidently boast significant financial clout. The Reds sit sixth in the table, and are able to spend a further £37m months after meeting Benfica's lofty asking price for Nunez.
Of course, there are caveats which must be considered. Liverpool's income from commercial deals and player sales in recent years dwarfs the returns at Newcastle. Hamstrung by the Mike Ashley era, the new owners have to play catch-up in this regard from effectively a standing start.
Liverpool need not shy away from sanctioning further spending despite their place in next season's Champions League currently looking at risk. Their recent success on the pitch and in trading out-of-favour players means they do not have the same worries about FFP regulations.
There are long-established reasons why the Reds are able to spend more than Newcastle right now despite the vastly-superior wealth of the latter's majority owners. Yet the Gakpo announcement provides a fresh reminder that despite this backing, the Magpies are not yet able to compete with their 'Big Six' rivals on an even financial footing.
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