Replace Trent, add new ‘weapon’ Wirtz, future-proof squad: Liverpool’s summer tasks

When Arne Slot took the reins at Liverpool last year, his task was spelt out clearly by the club’s bosses. “The main aim in what they told me is look at the players, give your opinion about it so we can go into this project in the second and the third year,” Slot said recently.

But under the Dutchman’s guidance, the Merseyside club clinched a record-equalling 20th English league title ahead of schedule, capitalising on Manchester City’s sudden and unexpected fall. Slot inherited a squad that had been built by Jurgen Klopp on four elite pillars — goalkeeper Alisson, centre-back Virgil van Dijk, right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold and winger Mohamed Salah — and honed it into a serious contender.

Minor tweaks

Slot opted for refinement over revolution in the short term. After signing just Federico Chiesa, nominally Salah’s back-up, in last year’s summer transfer window, he only made minor tweaks to Klopp’s counterpressing, transition-heavy game-model. It did help Slot that Salah had a historic, age-defying season — his 47 goal involvements (29 goals, 18 assists) are a record — but the manager’s patient, steadying influence merits a great deal of praise.

Now, ahead of the 2025-26 season, Slot has the opportunity to stamp his mark on Liverpool. Right through the season, there were questions surrounding the futures of Klopp’s pillars. Alexander-Arnold, Salah and van Dijk were all out of contract this summer while Alisson endured an injury-hit campaign. There is greater clarity around these situations now — as a result, there is no ambiguity about Liverpool’s priorities this summer.

With Alexander-Arnold moving to Real Madrid, Slot has to devise a way to replace a unicorn profile. Salah, soon to be 33, and van Dijk, soon to be 34, have signed short-term extensions, and so the need to future-proof the squad is paramount. And given how small the margins in the Premier League are, Liverpool also has to strengthen its core group with a level-raiser or two.

“I think we can find one or two extra weapons this team doesn’t have,” Slot said. “Maybe, by using the transfer market. That is what we are trying to achieve. That will only make us stronger. That is what we need because we saw City spending £200m in the [January] transfer window. All of them will. Apart from the transfer window, we can also improve certain aspects ourselves.”

The early signs from Liverpool’s activity in the market suggest that it will be a summer to remember. The club moved quickly to sign Netherlands right-back Jeremie Frimpong from Bayer Leverkusen, triggering a release clause reported to be between 35 and 40 million euros. 

Liverpool also managed to recover about 10 million euros of Frimpong’s price from the transfer of Alexander-Arnold, whom the club feared it might lose for nothing. But Madrid’s desire to sign the Englishman in time for the Club World Cup meant Liverpool could extract a fee for letting him go before his contract expired at the end of June.

Although both Alexander-Arnold and Frimpong are attack-minded right-backs, the latter isn’t a like-for-like replacement. Alexander-Arnold’s supreme vision and passing ability were cheat-codes. He could kill an opposition press with a sublime ball over the top, start transitions from Liverpool’s box after defending a corner with a line-breaking pass and deliver unstoppable, pinpoint crosses from the right half-space in settled possession.

Creative solutions

Given how unique Alexander-Arnold’s gifts are, Liverpool knows it can’t find another player of his type and quality in the market. So it’s replacing the threat he carries in other ways. Frimpong is not an incisive long-passer, but he is an excellent dribbler, ball-carrier and runner into space — in fact, Netherlands played him as an out-and-out winger in the Nations League playoffs.

One of Leverkusen’s stars in its unbeaten 2023-24 Bundesliga campaign, Frimpong played as a wing-back under Xabi Alonso and offers Slot the option of switching to a 3-5-2. The 24-year-old’s goal-threat and penetrative potential in a wing partnership with Salah should offer Liverpool a new offensive dynamic in the upcoming season.

A player who could add a completely different dimension to the Reds attack is Frimpong’s Leverkusen teammate Florian Wirtz, one of the best players of his generation and perhaps the biggest name on the market this window. The 22-year-old, who emerged as one of the most highly-rated young playmakers in Europe after helping Leverkusen end Bayern Munich’s monopoly last year, is the sort of level-raising talent that helps win trophies. 

A new wizard on Merseyside? Florian Wirtz, who has emerged as one of the most highly rated young playmakers in Europe, is the sort of level-raising talent that helps win trophies. But Liverpool will have to fork out a hefty fee for Wirtz’s magical ability.
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Both athlete and technician, Wirtz is capable of producing match-defining moments with a creative through-ball, a line-eliminating dribble or a goal out of nowhere. He is also an exceptional associative player, adept at knitting play together, quickening tempo and making runs to stretch the defence and fashion space for his teammates. 

It’s no surprise, therefore, that he also attracted interest from Bayern and City, but it is believed he made it clear to Leverkusen that he wants to join Liverpool. A deal won’t be cheap, as the Reds found out when their reported bid of 130 million euros (including add-ons) was turned down. But Liverpool has significant financial headroom, having kept its powder dry last season, and Wirtz is in the top-tier of talent that justifies such a heavy outlay.

Wirtz could also mitigate, to some degree, any drop-off Salah suffers. While Liverpool will have to find replacements for Salah and van Dijk, it has bought itself time at least until next summer because of the contract extensions. But with forwards Darwin Nunez and Luis Diaz expected to move and centre-back Ibrahima Konate yet to extend a contract that expires next year, the club will be on the lookout for smart deals in attack and defence, should they emerge this summer.

Liverpool will also have an eye on central midfield, which could do with bolstering. Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister were able to consistently produce a high level last season, but they played a lot of minutes. A versatile midfielder who can deputise for both will offer Slot more options to rotate next season. Liverpool is also looking to add talent at left-back, with Bournemouth’s impressive Milos Kerkez tipped to make the move to Merseyside.

Thou shalt not pass: The 6’6” Giorgi Mamardashvili is set to understudy Alisson before eventually becoming the Reds’ No. 1 goalkeeper. Liverpool agreed a deal with the shot-stopping Georgian giant last year, but he spent the season at Valencia as he waited to shift to Anfield.
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Succession planning

One position that the club has already future-proofed is goalkeeper. Caoimhin Kelleher’s departure, in a deal with Brentford that could reportedly rise to £18 million, makes room for Giorgi Mamardashvili, a 6’6” shot-stopping giant who is set to understudy Alisson before eventually becoming the Reds’ No. 1 goalkeeper. Liverpool agreed a deal with the Georgian last year, but he spent the season at Valencia as he waited to shift to Anfield.

“Whatever happens in terms of players going out, players coming in, I think it should be a big summer,” said captain van Dijk.  “I think they’re planning to make it a big summer, so we all have to trust the board to do the right job. We shouldn’t forget the quality that the Premier League possesses. It’s incredible how everyone can beat everyone. We must strengthen 100 percent.”