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Liverpool manager Arne Slot has hit out at pundits who “favour different sides” for their remarks over the squad’s off-season spending as he gets ready to award a maiden outing to Alexander Isak.

The transfer deadline acquisition of Swedish attacker Isak from Newcastle United for a British record price of £125m took Liverpool’s total outlay to £450 million on eight new signings.

The striker is expected to make his maiden show for Slot’s side in their European group stage game against Atletico at Anfield on midweek.

At his ahead of the game press conference, the manager pointed out that his side’s unprecedented spending was countered by in excess of £250 million pounds recouped in sales, having spent just £10 million the prior off-season.

“We see so much attention on our new acquisitions, especially from pundits that prefer some other teams in the country that cannot stop going on about £450m,” the gaffer stated.

“Once more, £450 million, £450m! But they ignore about around £300 million pounds that we have moved on squad members for. So, indeed, if we want to boost the team we need to use that much money.”

The manager felt his team “pulled off excellent deals”, given all eight of their new players are at the age of 25 or less, and the club “should get recognition” for the plan it has implemented.

“In my view it is only a positive that pundits tell everyone we have spent so much because that tells you the players we acquired are viewed as excellent professionals,” noted the coach.

“Some other clubs choose to bring in experienced professionals because they are prepared, but we feel we have signed talent who are in their early twenties [and] who are able.

“In my opinion all the cash we have spent we generated on our own by transferring out, and by securing the Premier League after we failed to buy anybody at all.”

The striker did not appear in the Reds’ one-nil win at Burnley on the weekend – the first game since he joined the Reds – because he is still short of sharpness.

The 25-year-old trained individually at previous club the Magpies, in a attempt to push through his switch to Liverpool, and must undergo further work to get fully fit after not participating in pre-season.

Isak's only appearance this term came for the national team in an 18-minute show from the substitutes in a two-goal defeat by their opponents last week.

Slot said he is “absolutely confident” Isak will not play the entire game against Atletico but suggested he will play a part against the top-flight side.

“Isak is part of the group, so it's now a European fixture to look forward to, but if fans look forward to his involvement, that could suggest that could happen in the match as well,” Slot added.

“So the time he is ready, sharp, [he] can play ninety minutes, and then the next step is playing three times in a week complete games.

“And that is what he has to do; hitting the back of the net and doing outstanding things in the final third is something he will definitely do. The primary hurdle he has is to become so ready that he's above all able to do what he did last season.”