Who will be participating in Arne Slot’s inaugural pre-season tour?
In what will be an eventful summer with a majority of senior players away on international duty, Arne Slot, Liverpool’s head coach, has taken charge. He recognises that his new role may be a challenge but quips it’s “not a reason, just a hurdle.” 28 members of the squad will embark on a three-game U.S tour starting on Tuesday.
Although rich in Carabao cup triumphs, the squad lacks ample Premier League exposure. Notably missing are Alisson, Virgil van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Joe Gomez, Ibrahima Konaté, Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch, Darwin Núñez, Luis Díaz, Cody Gakpo, and Diogo Jota.
Some of these notable players will be integrated later into the tour but nonetheless, the tour serves as a platform for fresher talent to leave a lasting impression on Liverpool’s recent head coach. However, Jayden Danns and Bobby Clark have stayed due to back injuries. “Ideally, I would’ve preferred to begin at a time without Euros or Copa América,” confessed Slot. “However, this wasn’t the case and I must accept the circumstances.”
First peek into Slot’s approach in Liverpool
Slot, although lacking experienced personnel for the tour commencing with a match against Real Betis in Pittsburgh on Friday, gives the audience a glimpse of his coaching style which won over the club’s fresh football administration. The tour will then progress to Philadelphia, where they face Arsenal on the following Wednesday and will meet Manchester United in Columbia, South Carolina the next Saturday.
While there might be parallels with Jürgen Klopp’s strategy, the Dutch coach made it clear during his public introduction that he is “not a carbon copy of Klopp.” He envisions different roles for Liverpool’s full-backs and endorses flexibility in switching player’s positions when in ball possession. Last month, he remarked, “The formation alternates among 4-2-3-1 and 4-1-4-1, and at times we start with three at the back.” Slot emphasizes a lot of liberty when in ball possession, but the freedom shrinks when the squad is without the ball. That’s when he insists on tactful aggression and strict adherence to one’s position.
Finally, there is the anticipated return of Stefan Bajcetic.
Bajcetic hopes that a fresh beginning at Liverpool will extend beyond just Slot. The talented midfielder has had a difficult run with injuries since his noteworthy emergence two seasons ago. Last term, he only managed to start once — a Europa League group match in Linz — due to an ongoing recovery from a groin problem that caused him to miss the final portion of the 2022-23 season, followed by a calf injury. A back issue, linked to growing pains, sidelined him for an additional seven months.
At 19, Bajcetic has managed to maintain a rigorous pre-season regimen thus far, and Liverpool is optimistic his fitness issues are firmly in the past ahead of Slot’s inaugural campaign. Central midfield is an area that is expected to see movement with the new head coach, and Bajcetic is well-positioned to establish his value amidst fierce competition.
A decision awaits Caoimhín Kelleher
The three-match tour offers Slot an opportunity to evaluate his secondary goalkeeping choices whilst Alisson is on holiday following the Copa América. Caoimhín Kelleher is predicted to be the first choice in the US, but it remains unclear whether the Republic of Ireland international is willing to reprise his role as second choice after featuring in 26 first-team games last season. As Kelleher stated at the end of last season: “Whether here at Liverpool or elsewhere, I believe my next move should be to become a number one.”
Liverpool had intentions to retain Adrián for his experience, however, the 37-year-old declined their contract extension offer and chose instead to return to Betis, his first professional club, on a free transfer. Adrián’s departure, coupled with questions regarding Kelleher’s future, presents an opportunity for Vitezslav Jaros, a 23-year-old who was a member of the Czech Republic’s team in the European Championship.
Following an impressive loan period at Sturm Graz last season, wherein he helped the Austrian club win both the league and cup, Liverpool views Jaros as part of their main goalkeeping lineup. This assumption could be put to the test in the US.
The paucity of new players
The summer transfer window still has over a month left — no need to vent frustration on social media just yet — nonetheless, the fact that there are no new faces yet, and that numerous notable players are absent, may understandably cause frustration for supporters who’ve doled out in excess of £360 ($400) to watch Liverpool on their American tour in some instances.
The recently appointed director of football for Liverpool, Richard Hughes, revealed that the club’s strategy during this summer’s transfer season would be an “opportunistic” one. The consensus is that the squad under Slot’s management doesn’t suffer from any critical gaps at least for now, and that the extensive revamping of the midfield department last summer successfully resolved the most critical concern of his predecessor.
Yet, there’s always room for betterment. Liverpool had shown interest in central defender Leny Yoro, who was also sought by Real Madrid but eventually signed by Manchester United. The club also had the opportunity to recruit Anthony Gordon as Newcastle sought to streamline their financial books ahead of the end-of-June financial deadline. The long-term plans of Alexander-Arnold, Van Dijk and Mohamed Salah are still up in the air, with each key player about to enter the final year of their existing contracts. An ample amount of work needs to be taken care of before the transfer window closes on the 30th of August.