LIVERPOOL HEAD COACH Arne Slot launched an impassioned defence of the club’s unprecedented summer transfer activity after taking a swipe at criticism from “pundits that favour other clubs”.

The deadline-day capture of Alexander Isak for a British record €145 million (£125m) took their spending to €517m (£450m) on eight players, all aged 25 or under and viewed as an investment in the club’s long-term future.

That headline figure has understandably attracted a lot of scrutiny but Slot was keen to point out it was not reckless spending as they recouped over €290m (£250m) in sales, having spent just €11.5m (£10m) the previous summer.

“There is so much focus on our new signings, especially from pundits that favour some other clubs in the country that cannot stop talking about £450m. I repeat, £450m, £450m! But they forget about (nearly) £300m that we have sold for,” said Slot.

“So, yes, if we want to strength the squad we need to spend that much money. If we sell Dominik Szoboszlai tomorrow he would be worth £100m as well.

“I think it is only a compliment that people tell everyone we have spent so much because that tells you the players we brought in are seen as very good players.

“I think we did great business; we brought in great players and to add to that, we have already lowered the age of the players.

“Some other teams prefer to bring in 27-year-olds because they are ready but we think we have brought in players who are 21, 22 who are ready.

“And then if they are still with you in four or five years, we can sell (someone like) Luis Diaz for £65m. But it is harder to sell him for £65m if he is already 32.

“That is our model and I think we should get praise. I think all the money we have spent we generated ourselves by selling and by winning the league after we didn’t buy anyone at all.

“If you win the league that is quite good financially as well. Those two situations led to the fact that we could spend £450m. It’s not like we looked in the ground and saw there was money coming up.

“We have generated ourselves and that is a big compliment for the model we have and for the quality players we have brought in that everybody is only talking about the £450million.”

Meanwhile, Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk accepts Isak’s transfer fee creates its own pressure but he told the striker to enjoy being the team’s new number nine.

Van Dijk, speaking with a degree of experience having moved to Anfield in January 2018 for a then world-record €90m (£75m) fee for a defender, said players had no influence over the cost of transfers so it was not a subject for discussion within the dressing room.

“Obviously it comes with the price tag and the price tag we have no control over,” said the Netherlands international.

“I totally understand from the outside world there will always be talk about that and that creates a pressure but it’s down to him. With us, we don’t speak about those things.

“We want to perform, we want to show we have the quality to play on the highest level, to play for Liverpool and in the Champions League, for him to hopefully score a lot of goals and that’s it.

“Just work hard, enjoy being the number nine for Liverpool, be important for the group with goals, assists, link-up play, help others. That is the only thing you can have an influence on.

“Obviously he is a clinical finisher: if you look at his finishing skills, left, right, top corners, he is a complete striker and same you can say for Hugo (Ekitike).

“They are a little bit different but not so much, they are both so comfortable on the ball, both are a handful and it is good they are on my side.”

Isak is set for his Liverpool debut at home to Atletico Madrid in the Champions League on Wednesday after completing a deadline-day move from Newcastle.

The Swede was left out of Sunday’s win at Burnley for extra training sessions as he had missed all of pre-season due to his dispute with Newcastle over his right to leave.

Slot is still building him up gradually but will not hold him back any longer with anticipation growing over his debut.