Former Liverpool goalkeeper David James has called out Newcastle United's Saudi Arabian PIF investors, saying that his old club don't need 'Middle East investment' to stay competitive.
James played 572 games in the Premier League, with 277 coming for the Reds between 1992 and 1999 and believes that if the club is sold by Fenway Sports Group (FSG), then they should invest wisely over a longer period rather than splashing big straight away.
FSG shocked the footballing world by announcing their willingness to sell the club after 12 years at the helm and have entertained consortiums from Saudi Arabia and Qatar over the past few weeks.
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Splashing the cash has worked for some teams after new investment - no doubt Newcastle being one of them as they currently sit third in the Premier League after bringing in the likes of Nick Pope, Bruno Guimaraes and Kieran Trippier.
Speaking to Genting Casino, James highlighted the necessity for Liverpool to consistently qualify for the Champions League over their rivals otherwise they'll end up in a big hole and constantly slip behind their opponents.
"I don’t think investment from the Middle East is the only way Liverpool can stay competitive with Manchester City. If you think about keeping up with City, it depends. People who are more qualified than I am will say that if Liverpool sell the club then for the owners it’s about profit.
"If they’re looking after the interests of the club then obviously they get the right owners to buy the club. If the new owners see that the only way they can compete is spending heavily, then that’s fine. If Liverpool are looking at further investment, there’s an argument that Liverpool need to buy now to give themselves a chance against City.
"Whereas I would say, economically, Liverpool need to qualify for the Champions League and I want Liverpool to compete for every trophy. But rather than spending loads of money to get something now, contain it so next season, or season after, and then invest wisely over a long period rather than going out there and spending big straight away.
"Otherwise you’re in a vicious cycle where you are having to spend huge amounts of money and you are theoretically not able to win the league, and that’s a big deficit. And it’s very disruptive to a dressing room if you’re continually buying all the time. I think there’s a chance where Liverpool can go quiet for a season or two and then come back and win the league."
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