Brendan Rodgers: Liverpool's transfer committee must choose between 'a business model or a winning model'

The former Reds manager has spoken out about the club's controversial transfer policy

Former Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers (Getty Images)

Former Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has spoken out about the club’s controversial recruitment policy and claimed that his former employers must choose between a ‘business model’ and a ‘winning model’.

The Northern Irish coach’s three-year spell at Anfield was dogged by questions regarding the transfer committee, a five-man group (including Rodgers) which collaborated to identify and capture transfer targets.

Owners Fenway Sports Group are also said to favour a policy of only spending large amounts of money on players aged 24 and under, rather than on established stars.

“Well I think it is probably a little difficult at the moment. I didn't have any problem working under one [a transfer committee],” Rodgers told beIN Sports, according to the Mirror.

“The club needs to look at it and decide whether they want a business model or a winning model. A winning model would mean trying to get the best possible players that you can, at whatever age they are, it doesn't matter.

“Some clubs will go into work and have that in mind. Others will think it is about buying a player, developing and improving them and then selling them on for a much greater fee, as opposed to getting the best possible player, irrelevant of his age, in order to win.

Since arriving at Anfield, Rodgers’ successor Jurgen Klopp has only brought in Steven Caulker on loan from Queens Park Rangers to provide defensive cover and young Serbian midfielder Marko Grujić, who was immediately loaned back to selling club Red Star Belgrade.

The former Borussia Dortmund boss, who has had a mixed start to life in the Premier League, has insisted that he has the final say on new signings at the club, despite the transfer committee staying in place.

“This is the way it is going,” Rodgers continued. “Some clubs operate with the model of football being a business and they will want to do the best they possibly can, but it will always be about getting a young player in, improving them and having a sale and value that is greater when they got them.

“Other clubs will be in the market to just buy the top talents, irrespective of what age they are, in order to look to win. I think the best clubs must get the balance between both [models].”