Manchester United legend Sir Alex Ferguson issued a clear warning to the Premier League ahead of Liverpool’s hectic transfer window.
After securing Hugo Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt in a deal reportedly worth up to £79 million, Liverpool’s summer spending reached an impressive £269.2 million.
Ekitike is just the latest high-profile signing for the Reds, who have also brought in Florian Wirtz, Milos Kerkez, and Jeremie Frimpong in recent weeks.
With rumors circulating that Liverpool may still sign Newcastle’s Alexander Isak—potentially breaking the British transfer record—and Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi, manager Arne Slot is clearly making ambitious moves.
However, as Liverpool’s total expenditure nears £300 million this summer, a warning from Sir Alex Ferguson has resurfaced online.
In 2009, Ferguson expressed concerns about transfer market inflation caused by clubs like Manchester City and Real Madrid, cautioning that this trend could eventually force some major clubs into financial collapse.
“I think the spending is excessive, and you ask yourself, ‘Where will it end?’” Ferguson told North West Business Insider magazine, as reported by The Guardian.
“This was similar to the business world a few years ago, when warning signs were ignored because loans were easy to get. In football, the warning signs are there, but no one seems concerned. You wonder what will happen if a major club collapses.”
Just months before Ferguson’s warning, Manchester United sold Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid for a then-record fee of €94 million (£81.97 million). By July 2025, transfer fees had more than doubled, with Paris Saint-Germain paying €222 million (£193.6 million) to sign Neymar from Barcelona in 2017.
Ferguson also cautioned against allowing ultra-wealthy club owners to spend so freely that it disrupts the market and harms other clubs.
He said, “Some owners treat football clubs like personal assets, with vast wealth that raises questions about what’s truly best for the sport or the club itself.”
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