Jurgen Klopp has gained hidden transfer benefit from Carabao Cup

Success in the Carabao Cup is never going to be a financial game-changer for Liverpool.

Liverpool booked another Wembley showdown with Chelsea thanks to a 3-2 aggregate success over Fulham, with a 1-1 draw at Craven Cottage on Wednesday evening enough for Jurgen Klopp’s side to punch their ticket to a February 25 showpiece against the side they defeated on penalties in the same cup final in 2022.

The Carabao Cup has had its fair share of criticism in recent years, with clubs accused of not taking the competition seriously and even some managers questioning its place in the English football calendar, with Pep Guardiola one of those to hold the view that the competition should be scrapped as it was causing too much congestion.

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For the throngs of Reds fans who made the midweek journey down to West London, who filled the stadium with noise throughout, that viewpoint might be challenged. Prize money is for the club, trophies are for the fans.

There is no real financial value to the Carabao Cup. In terms of importance when it comes to the business side of the football club it simply doesn't stack up against the lucrative nature of success in the Premier League and, even more so, the Champions League. Protecting the club's best players to enable them to operate at the highest level that they can in the biggest and most lucrative games will always be a priority.

The winners of the Carabao Cup pick up a cheque for £100,000. To put that into some context, a draw in the Champions League group stages is worth eight times that.

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