MUCH of the build-up to Saturday afternoon’s Merseyside derby has not focused on the football match itself. That’s because the Goodison Park leg of this season’s duel between Liverpool’s long-standing Premier League sides takes place just a couple of days after the transfer window closed.

The transfer market now feels like the biggest game in football. Winners and losers are announced at the end of each window, interrupted for a few months by some football games before doing it all again in January.

These two teams have both made several signings this summer and all eyes will be on their new players to see how they fare in the cauldron that is a Merseyside derby.

It could be especially interesting for Everton’s new centre-back Conor Coady, on loan from Wolves, who played for Liverpool as a youth and was a Liverpool supporter.

Coady has been added to the club’s defensive ranks along with James Tarkowski, who arrived on a free transfer from relegated Burnley. These players bring leadership qualities and Everton hope they'll also bring consistency to a previously inconsistent defensive unit.

Both clubs lost key attackers this summer. Sadio Mane left Liverpool for Bayern Munich while Everton’s star player, Richarlison, joined Spurs. Replacing them has been among the main tasks for the clubs’ recruitment teams this window, with Liverpool adding Darwin Nunez from Benfica and Everton signing Neal Maupay from Brighton.

A lot of the transfer attention at both clubs has been on the midfields. Amadou Onana, James Garner and Idrissa Gueye joined Everton and Liverpool got a loan deal for Brazilian midfielder Arthur Melo over the line on deadline day.

“Everyone is really happy about it,” Klopp said of Arthur’s transfer from Juventus.  

“He is a really good passer, has speed with the ball, is safe on the ball, and can demand rhythm which is pretty important. He’s really good in tight areas. I like it a lot.

“Of course — why can you loan a player like this? Because it didn't work out 100 per cent at Juventus.

“I see this as a positive as the potential is still there. We play differently to Juve, and we all thought he could fit pretty well, so I’m really pleased.”

While teams such as Manchester United, Chelsea, West Ham, Newcastle, and even newly promoted Nottingham Forest have been spending extravagantly with net spends of more than £100m this summer, Everton and Liverpool have been more prudent.

Everton’s situation has been partly forced by financial fair play (FFP). They have spent large sums in previous years without the success to go with it, and have had to be careful not to cross a line that could lead to punishment for breaking FFP rules.

It got to a point last season where Leeds United and Burnley were writing to the Premier League questioning whether the losses Everton were making were in line with FFP.

The club were dangerously close to the line, but they didn’t cross it. The sale of Lucas Digne and the release of high-earner James Rodriguez last season helped, as did this summer’s sale of Richarlison.

A new transfer policy of selling (or releasing or loaning high-earning players) before buying has seen Everton recover and should serve them well in the long run. They have one of the lower net spends in this summer’s transfer window but have still managed to make signings in key areas.

“I’m very pleased,” Everton manager Frank Lampard said of the club’s summer business.

“I think we were very strategic in the way we approached it from a long time ago.

“When I say that I’m talking about the club that was joined up from owner to chairman, to board, to myself, to [director of football] Kevin Thelwell.

“What do we need to improve us? How could we do it in the right way? And hopefully that reflects in what we get now.

“When I look at the squad I’m happy, and now it’s time to get our heads down and work.”

Liverpool’s owners Fenway Sports Group, meanwhile, have long been wary of FFP, having to comply with Uefa’s version as well as the Premier League’s due to their regular participation in the Champions League.

The club is known for its savvy work in the transfer market and low net spend, and it has brought them considerable success.

During the past four seasons this approach, along with the appointment of a world-class manager in Klopp, has seen them win the Champions League, Club World Cup, FA Cup, EFL Cup, and a first Premier League title in 30 years, as well as boasting one of the best collections of footballers the club has seen.

The depth in the current squad, once new signings and players returning from injury or suspension are available, means Liverpool’s bench could feature players such as Arthur, Nunez, Diogo Jota, Joel Matip, and goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher, who are all very strong backup options.

Everton’s squad also looks deeper than it has in recent years. Whether they have enough quality remains to be seen, but Lampard seems pleased with their business.

During his pre-derby press conference, Lampard also alluded to the fact that the break for the World Cup in November means the next transfer window effectively opens earlier than January. 

Clubs will already be thinking about potential deals already and the transfer rumour mill will continue to operate. 

But at least for 90 or so minutes at Goodison Park this afternoon, the focus of Merseyside will be all on a game of football.