Arne Slot, prior to his sacking, spoke about Liverpool’s upcoming summer and anticipated the squad undergoing “another little transition” but “probably not as drastic as it was last summer.”
Last summer, the Reds spent over £400 million, twice breaking their club record transfer fee, adding eight players to the first-team squad and seeing five first-team players depart.
The departures of to finally replace Fabinho, who left three years ago and whose arrival transformed the midfield under Jurgen Klopp. A player whose primary role is to protect the defence and has instincts to do so is missing in this squad.
Slot changed Ryan Gravenberch’s role last season, encouraging the Dutchman to get forward more, which only led to bigger gaps in midfield and less protection for a defence that conceded a whopping 78 goals in all competitions.
Adam Wharton was linked and seemed like a strong candidate, but links to the Crystal Palace man have quietened since Slot’s sacking and he isn’t exactly a combative player with defensive instincts.
Adam Wharton was linked and seemed like a strong candidate, but links to the Crystal Palace man have quietened since Slot’s sacking and he isn’t exactly a combative player with defensive instincts.
Meanwhile, right back was a problem position last season, with Frimpong proving to be far from an adequate replacement for Alexander-Arnold. Most fans aren’t sure where the Dutchman fits in; he isn’t a full-back, but equally he isn’t a right winger. That’s the problem you get when you sign a wing back for a team that doesn’t play with wing backs.
Frimpong, Bradley, Szoboszlai and Jones all played right back, with Szoboszlai arguably the best of the lot but the Hungarian clearly isn’t happiest playing there and wouldn’t be expected to do so under Iraola.
Bradley, even if able to return from his serious injury, won’t be in a position to play every week. A robust, reliable solution is needed.
And yet, there are few credible links to right backs so far. Given that three of the regular back four from 16 months ago have left, you’d expect it to be a priority to get a right back in sooner rather than later in order to build some sort of relationship with Jacquet.
Iraola may opt for a more solid right back, given Kerkez’s attacking qualities on the other side. A player like Brentford’s Michael Kayode would have been ideal, but he signed a new contract. Marco Palestra was also linked before he moved to Chelsea.
And while Jacquet, Leoni, Joe Gomez and Van Dijk make four centre backs; two of them (Jacquet and Leoni) have never played in the Premier League, Leoni has been out for 10 months with an ACL injury, Gomez cannot be relied upon to remain fit, and 35-year-old Van Dijk just played the most minutes of his career, clocking over 6,000 minutes for club and country.
An experienced centre-back would surely be advantageous, reducing the reliance on Van Dijk and also not needing to rush Jacquet and Leoni. Marcos Senesi seemed an ideal candidate, leaving Bournemouth on a free transfer, an experienced Premier League player who knows Iraola’s methods, capable of stepping into Van Dijk’s role when the Dutchman leaves next summer. But he moved to Tottenham, who also have Jan Paul van Hecke and Micky van de Ven. Such strong options are something Liverpool would dearly like.
It could be that Liverpool look to a versatile option capable of playing more than one position in defence. There’s also an argument that Kostas Tsimikas, who is returning from a disappointing loan spell at Roma where he started just six league games, isn’t of the quality required.
Then there’s the centre-forward conundrum, with Ekitike’s injury meaning only Alexander Isak can be considered as a first-team No.9 – and the Swede’s injury record doesn’t exactly instil confidence.
As things stand, beyond Isak, Liverpool’s options going into the season would be Chiesa (should he not leave), and youngsters Danns and Wright. And Danns isn’t currently fit.
Again, a versatile option might be the solution; somebody can play wide and also through the middle in attack. But it would surely be a risk to go into the new season with the current central options.
All this, without mentioning the effect that the loss of the experienced trio of Salah, Robertson and Konate will have around the training ground, plus a change in goalkeeper coach for the third summer in a row and a new coaching staff for the second time in three years.
Interestingly, Iraola says “we are here to solve these kinds of problems and to try to maximise what we have” – possibly hinting at in-house solutions to the problems he inherits.
“I trust myself a lot, and I’m ready for the challenge that I know is very big,” says the new head coach.
The challenge is certainly bigger than many may realise.