Liverpool's Transfer Concerns: Michael Owen's Insights
Michael Owen has seen enough transfer windows at Liverpool to know when something feels light. This one, in his view, is worryingly so.
The former Anfield striker has voiced both surprise and concern at the club’s business so far, particularly in attack, where the departure of Mohamed Salah and the long-term injury to Hugo Ekitike have left a gaping hole in Andoni Iraola’s forward line.
Liverpool have moved early for Victor Munoz, paying £34.5million to bring the left-winger in from Osasuna, and talks continue with Paris Saint-Germain over France international Bradley Barcola. There is also interest in Champions League winners’ teenager Ibrahim Mbaye. The machinery is moving. Just not quickly or aggressively enough for Owen.
“I am surprised, absolutely, yes,” he said, reflecting on the club’s relatively subdued window. “Losing Mo Salah and his goals and assists must be a concern right now. Liverpool need to look to add more depth in the forward areas.”
For Owen, one name should already be in red.
Bowen, the one that got away
West Ham United’s relegation briefly turned Jarrod Bowen into one of the most attractive forwards on the market. Proven in the Premier League, relentless in his work, and a natural fit for a high-energy front line. Owen cannot understand how Liverpool allowed that moment to pass.
“I would have gone more Jarrod Bowen as one player to come in as I believe he is very talented, Premier League-proven and could have fitted in really well and could have scored plenty of goals,” he argued.
Instead, Bowen has committed his future to West Ham by signing a new deal at the London Stadium. The window moved on. Liverpool, in Owen’s eyes, missed a trick.
The focus now is Barcola. Liverpool are pushing to prise him from PSG, but the numbers are steep. Owen senses the trade-off.
“Right now it seems Liverpool are putting all their time in looking to secure Barcola from PSG, although at a huge price tag it may mean that one of the attacking players may have to make way for him to join,” he said.
That, of course, is the reality of elite recruitment. Big fees, big calls. Yet the fundamental issue remains: Salah has gone, Ekitike is sidelined, and the goals that once felt guaranteed suddenly look like a question.
“I expect Liverpool to sign another attacking player as Mo leaves a big void and Liverpool do need to strengthen,” Owen added. The word “void” hangs heavy. Salah’s departure is not just about numbers, but aura. Liverpool have to replace both.
Isak and Wirtz under the spotlight
Owen’s gaze is not fixed solely on incoming deals. He also pointed to the need for more from Liverpool’s most expensive recent investments.
The club spent over £100million combined on Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz. Neither delivered consistently last season. Isak endured a stop-start campaign, his year fractured by fitness issues and a broken leg that kept him out for four months. Wirtz, the gifted attacking midfielder, struggled to adapt in his first full season in England.
“He had a tough time last season,” Owen said of Isak. “That kind of injury does take a lot of time to recover from and sometimes you only recover to the player you were, not one that can push on even further.”
There is a challenge in that line, but also a belief.
“If Isak can find the same form that he did for Newcastle, then he can definitely show his worth for Andoni Iraola,” Owen continued. “He is hugely talented as shown for Newcastle and did look good in the World Cup, so hopefully he can be a top striker next season and score plenty.”
Wirtz, too, sits firmly in the “more to come” category. One season to bed in, one summer to reset.
“With (Florian) Wirtz as well now having one season under his belt, we hope he can find good form.”
Liverpool’s attack, then, is a blend of promise, recovery and risk. Munoz adapting from La Liga. Isak chasing his pre-injury sharpness. Wirtz searching for rhythm. And, if the club get their way, Barcola arriving at a premium price. Owen’s concern is that, for a team losing a generational scorer, there is a lot of “if” in that equation.
A Scouse heartbeat under threat
The uncertainty does not stop at the front line. In midfield, Curtis Jones is edging towards the final year of his contract, with his future far from settled.
Inter have yet to meet Liverpool’s valuation, while Galatasaray are also watching closely. The club have a decision to make: cash in, compromise, or hold their ground and risk the clock ticking down.
For Owen, this is not just about squad management. It is about identity.
“It’s always nice to have homegrown players playing for Liverpool. The fans feel it when you see local players come through the Academy and shine for the first team,” he said.
Jones is the only senior Scouse player in Iraola’s squad. Losing him would cut a visible thread between the dressing room and the city. Owen understands that connection as well as anyone; he lived it.
“But look around at other clubs, Jack Grealish came through at Villa and left and got stick, the same with Trent Alexander-Arnold at Liverpool when he left,” he said, highlighting the emotional fallout when a local hero moves on.
“So it’s difficult, but I do have to say, I was a local lad who came through the ranks and played for Liverpool and you could feel it was great.”
That last line is not nostalgia. It is a reminder. Liverpool have always been at their strongest when the squad carried both global stars and local voices, when the Kop could see itself on the pitch as well as in the stands.
Right now, as Iraola’s first season looms, the club stand at a delicate point. Salah gone, Ekitike injured, Bowen missed, Barcola pursued, Isak and Wirtz under pressure, Jones uncertain. The pieces are on the table, but the picture is incomplete.
Liverpool will act. They have to. The question is whether they move with the urgency and clarity Owen believes this moment demands.
