Jamie Carragher has slammed Liverpool for their transfer business this summer, branding it “a joke.”

The defender was speaking about his former club on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football coverage, with the Reds losing out on Brighton’s Moises Caicedo and Southampton’s Romeo Lavia as well.

Jurgen Klopp’s side had been pursuing the latter for the last month, seeing several bids rejected for the midfielder. Last week, Liverpool saw an offer worth £45 million rejected by the Saints.

Looking at other options, they then had a huge £111 million offer accepted by Brighton for Caicedo. The Ecuadorian had been a high-priority target for Chelsea, who had made numerous offers to secure the Brighton man.

In extraordinary scenes, the 21-year-old then told Liverpool that his preference was a move to Chelsea. The Blues have since confirmed the signing of Caicedo for a reported £115 million.

With one fewer option on the market, Liverpool then returned to Southampton with an improved offer for Lavia of £60 million.

Although that offer has been accepted, Chelsea had also registered an interest in the Belgian midfielder. Having seen a £48 million bid rejected by the Saints, The Athletic reported that Lavia has decided his preference is a move to Chelsea.

A fee worth £50 million plus add-ons is expected to be enough to seal an agreement, with Lavia set to become Chelsea’s eighth transfer of the summer.

Carragher’s scathing criticism of Liverpool transfer business

Liverpool fans will undoubtedly be frustrated with the lack of new midfield signings following the departures of Jordan Henderson and Fabinho. And nobody has expressed that frustration more than Carragher in the last week.

The defender, who made 737 appearances for the Reds in all competitions, shared his opinion on the pursuit of Lavia last week, labelling it “embarrassing.”

And he reiterated those feelings during Monday Night Football while on punditry duty for Manchester United against Wolverhampton Wanderers with Gary Neville. The United legend labelled the club’s business, “very un-Liverpool-like,” while Carragher took the criticism even further.

When asked about where Liverpool would be if Lavia joins Chelsea, Carragher replied: “In a pretty difficult place. They need to buy someone in midfield. People know that they're desperate.

“They put in a bid for Lavia today for £60 million, even when they refused to pay £50 million four or five days ago. It's been an absolute mess. It's a joke.”

Carragher went on to deny that the fault lay with Liverpool’s owners, saying that the issue at the club was the structure currently in place. He pointed out that their most successful period came when Michael Edwards was Sporting Director between 2016 and 2022, and there was a structure beneath him.

Jorg Schmadtke was appointed as a temporary director this year, but he is set to step down at the end of May. And the instability within the recruitment department does not fill Carragher with confidence going forward.

“When Liverpool were winning the league, getting to Champions League finals, what are Liverpool doing? They're not spending as much money as other teams, but they're producing these players,” the 45-year-old said.

“Yes, they've got a great manager, but they had a guy called Michael Edwards at the top of the club as the director of football, a transfer committee, whatever name you want to put on it, beneath him. It worked well.

“He left. His number two then took over. He was in the job for six months. He then moved on. You have to ask the reasons why these people are actually moving on from the football club. I don't know, I don't know what's going on behind the scenes.

“Schmadtke has come in from Germany, he has a relationship with Jurgen Klopp. He's only there for the summer, that's all he's there for, and then he moves on. Liverpool will then get another director of football.

"So in the space of 18 months, Liverpool have had four directors of football. They haven't got deals done. That is your job, in that role, to get deals over the line.”

“Liverpool have not got deals over the line, and it's been embarrassing,” he added. “You start with Lavia, don't pay a certain amount, then you go for Caicedo, get something agreed. That's why I will not be critical of the owners, they were willing to pay £110 million and break the transfer record.

“But to go with him, when he's been talking to Chelsea for three months. Now go back to Lavia. It's an absolute mess.”

Video: Carragher slams Liverpool’s transfer business

If Liverpool lose out on both Caicedo and Lavia, it remains to be seen whom they will sign to fill the void at the base of their midfield.

David Ornstein of The Athletic reported today that the club do admire Real Madrid’s Aurelien Tchouameni, but that Los Blancos would not consider his departure.

Klopp and the Liverpool hierarchy will be spending the final weeks of the transfer window desperately searching for a partner for Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai. It could be a very long season for supporters if they do not make additions in that area.