Liverpool’s sporting director, Richard Hughes, maintains his predicted path of a quiet July followed by a rather active August transfer window, an expectation set a month back. In spite of a silent stint thus far in the transfer market for Liverpool, a forceful surge is nonetheless anticipated, with good reason.
To date, Liverpool stands as the lone Premier League club not to secure a summer signing, however, with Arne Slot fully evaluating the squad during the preseason tour of the U.S., change is predicted. The tour outcome was quite favourable, with Liverpool experiencing victories against Real Betis, Arsenal and Manchester United respectively, attributing more emphasis to the new head coach’s method than the positive outcomes.
The tour also served to underscore the need for a fresh defensive midfielder, which has been a long-time priority for Liverpool. Initiatives are now underway to address this requirement. It is worth noting that this was an area that stagnated during last summer’s midfield renovation, leading to Jürgen Klopp resorting to then 30-year-old Wataru Endo, following missed opportunities with Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia who ended up at Chelsea.
Endo found it difficult to adapt to Slot’s possession-centric style in the opening match of the U.S. tour. The following two matches saw Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch taking the field alongside Curtis Jones and a remarkable performance from young Trey Nyoni. Although a bid of €13.7 million from Marseille for the Japanese international, a €18.5 million purchase just a year ago, was rejected, these circumstances could swiftly alter pending the introduction of another midfielder and a more enticing offer.
Despite expectations of a quiet summer transfer period, there were several items on Liverpool’s agenda. However, apart from seeking a defensive midfielder, there were no major gaps in the team that had already shown signs of promise by finishing third last season. Potential signings like Anthony Gordon from Newcastle piqued Liverpool’s interest, but with players like Luis Diaz, Cody Gakpo and Darwin Nunez providing options on the left, negotiations did not progress considerably and talks for Gordon were not revived.
Liverpool also showed interest in young talent Leny Yoro to boost their central defense, only to see him snatched away by Manchester United in a €62m agreement, beating both Liverpool and Real Madrid.
With new head coach Slot stepping in during a summer filled with many international competitions, the club hasn’t been as active as other Premier League teams with new managers in beefing up their rosters. Slot preferred to evaluate the players on his American tour before deciding their forthcoming strategies.
This incoming coach is just a component of the full-scale football makeover implemented by Liverpool’s proprietors, the Fenway Sports Group (FSG), following Jurgen Klopp’s departure notice. FSG has brought on board key personnel such as Michael Edwards, Julian Ward, Pedro Marques, Hughes and his deputy David Woodfine to navigate the post-Klopp era.
High on their task list is sorting out the futures of Liverpool stalwarts Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold. With their existing contracts due to end soon, Liverpool faces a tough decision – retaining these top earners could be a costly affair, but losing them could be detrimental to the club.
Nonetheless, Slot was rather unfazed in the US about the absence of new signings. Just like Klopp, he seemed taken aback by the British fascination with transfers.
Liverpool’s head coach voiced the challenges in the acquisition of quality players post the match with United, stating that high standards set by their existing team members make it tough to find the right fit. Not only does the player need to meet these criteria, but availability and agreement on terms also act as obstacles. However, efforts are in full swing to find someone who can contribute effectively to the team.
What is most troubling for the ex-Feyenoord coach, however, is the limited training time with his complete squad. The commencement of preseasons for players such as Alexander-Arnold, Van Dijk, Nunez, Diaz, Gakpo and Joe Gomez only started on Sunday. With a rest day for the US team returning from their tour, it was only Tuesday when the coach could engage with the entire Liverpool squad. Liverpool is now planning for two friendly games on Sunday in a bid to improve match fitness before their first Premier League match at Ipswich in 12 days. A fixture against Sevilla at Anfield will be immediately followed by a closed-door match against Las Palmas.
Liverpool has been fielding inquiries about several subsidiary players. Fabio Carvalho’s performance in the US has attracted the attention of both Southampton and Leicester. Liverpool, however, has already turned down two offers from Southampton for this 21-year-old in recent months, the most recent amounted to €17 million. The head coach affirms his belief in Carvalho’s suitability for his team either as an out-wide or a number 10 and insists that it will require a substantial improved proposal to contemplate his transfer.
Furthermore, the likes of Salzburg, now under the management of Liverpool’s previous assistant manager Pepijn Lijnders, Norwich, and Leeds are all eyeing midfielder Bobby Clark. Liverpool’s fans anticipate the first signing of this new phase, while defender Sepp van den Berg and winger Ben Doak are also gathering interest from several teams.