Arne Slot has faced little in the way of criticism since taking over at Liverpool last summer. Rightly so, for a head coach who defied all expectations by winning the Premier League title, was 90 minutes away from adding a cup competition to his medal haul and was eliminated from the Champions League on penalties by Europe’s best side.
Given he achieved that with a squad assembled by another manager makes it all the more commendable.
Yet that is changing. Jeremie Frimpong’s signing has been confirmed, Florian Wirtz is set to follow soon, while Milos Kerkez’s arrival is also anticipated, in addition to the two new goalkeepers who will rival Alisson next season.
In many ways, the Arne Slot era at Anfield is only really beginning now. But as Liverpool charts its path through the murky transfer waters, one drawback of Slot’s approach is coming to the forefront.
Jarell Quansah’s situation and the reports that emerged on Wednesday underlined this. The Liverpool academy graduate is among the best young center-backs in the country, has shown clear development since establishing himself in the squad and could be a Premier League regular for the next decade. Yet there’s a sense he may need to move on in order to further his career.
Quansah was among the cohort of sidelined stars this season under Slot, who played a peripheral role. Every team has its fringe members, but the Dutchman’s reluctance to deploy certain players meant he drew his starting players from an incredibly small pool.
Only 12 outfield players started in 10 or more Premier League matches in 2024-25. At Arsenal, that number was 16, Manchester City had 14, while Chelsea’s tally sits at 15.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - MAY 25: Arne Slot, Manager of Liverpool, celebrates with the Premier League trophy, as Liverpool are crowned the Champions of the Premier League for the 2024/25 Season, following the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Crystal Palace FC at Anfield on May 25, 2025 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)
Slot's tactics led Liverpool to Premier League glory, but he may have inadvertently pushed some towards the exit. (Image: undefined via Getty Images)
Slot has even openly referred to having starters and non-starters on several occasions, and the decision not to incorporate those on the margins is reverberating into the transfer market.
Caoimhin Kelleher was open about his need to hold down a regular spot elsewhere and has already departed; Harvey Elliott admitted he may need to leave for the sake of his career, while Watru Endo and Federico Chiesa have also spoken publicly about their lack of minutes.
Darwin Nunez may leave as well, and Kostas Tsimikas is expected to move on when Kerkez arrives. Slot may not have alienated players, as such, but he has left plenty wondering what their next steps are.
It's remarkable how many players could be deemed dispensable for a squad that is typically portrayed as a collective, cohesive unit.
Liverpool defender Jarell Quansah
Quansah could be questioning his Liverpool future. (Image: Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Liverpool’s challenge will be persuading suitors to pay substantial fees for players who are clearly not central to Slot’s plans. It was notable that Kelleher was sold for an initial fee of £ 12.5 million ($16M), around half the reported asking price of £25M ($32M) bandied about in various reports just over a week before the transfer was concluded.
Not all of Liverpool’s expendables will depart, of course, and in many senses it’s down to Slot’s astute management and the depth of talent at Anfield that so many squad members are seen as attainable by other clubs.
But the former Feyenoord boss has already acknowledged his approach may need to differ next season, and that a lack of rotation could have impacted his squad in the spring months, particularly around those costly defeats to Newcastle United and Paris Saint-Germain in early spring.
“You could argue if I needed to have rotated a bit more between November and March to be even fresher in that [PSG] game,” he said ahead of the penultimate round of Premier League fixtures.
In Slot’s sequel, discovering a method to rotate and retain that continuity in performances will be key.
Likewise, if he is to convince Quansah, Elliott, or Nunez to stay, they will need to be guaranteed one thing: extra game time.