Arne Slot gave himself to the cause of putting Liverpool back on their perch after being anointed as Jurgen Klopp's successor at Anfield, and he has succeeded.
Many doubted him, but Slot proved that very little is known before that opening whistle sings on matchday one, and Liverpool indeed maintained remarkable consistency across the campaign to clinch the Premier League title, their second in its modern format, and their record-equalling 20th overall.
Most English Top-flight Titles in History
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Data via BBC
Who's ready to go again? Slot, certainly, will feel confident that he can follow last term's success with an even richer adventure in 2025/26, Liverpool stocking up as they are with high-level players, nice and early, ready for pre-season.
Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong have secured the defensive flanks, and a central defender may yet arrive through the Anfield gates.
Liverpool transfer targets 2025-1
But who could deny that Florian Wirtz is the cream of this thrilling transfer window?
Why Liverpool signed Florian Wirtz
When Liverpool lost Trent Alexander-Arnold to Real Madrid, they didn't just swallow the bitter pill of one of their own up and leaving on a free, but one of their leading architects, instrumental through the illustrious sweep of the Jurgen Klopp era.
Trent-Alexander-Arnold-Real-Madrid
Alexander-Arnold, now, somehow, a divisive figure on Merseyside, faded into the background until we meet again, has taken with him some pretty peerless playmaking qualities. Pretty peerless, but for a select few creatives who stand at the top of a vast pyramid.
Enter Wirtz. Praised as a "genius" by Xabi Alonso, once his but now Trent's mentor, the 22-year-old signed for Liverpool in a deal worth £116m last month and will be expected to take the Premier League by storm.
Across 197 senior appearances with Bayer Leverkusen, Wirtz scored 57 goals and supplied 65 assists, bringing an artistic flair that will enrich his teammates. Vision, passing, dribbling, he's got the lot.
It's clear why Liverpool signed him, and it will now be exciting to see him build a rapport with Slot's existing squad.
Wirtz-stats-24-25
And indeed the forwards who may yet sign for the Premier League champions this summer.
Liverpool targeting more forwards
Most would point toward the central striker's position as being Liverpool's priority area (and they'd be right, especially if Darwin Nunez is sold to Napoli as expected).
However, Luis Diaz and Cody Gakpo have both been linked with moves away, and Federico Chiesa is also expected to leave after a disappointing year.
Liverpool's Arne Slot and Luis Diaz
That's why transfer insider Matt Thielen believes the Merseysiders could move for West Ham United's Mohammed Kudus this summer, with the Reds informed by the winger's agent that his client has signalled his intention to join Liverpool, now willing to accept a reduced salary to join Slot's squad this summer.
And that's despite interest from Chelsea, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur. Kudus is expected to leave the Hammers this summer, and despite his struggles across 2024/25, there are no shortage of suitors.
This follows earlier claims that the Reds had lodged an official enquiry for the Ghanaian star, who has an £85m release clause in his contract but is expected to be available for a more affordable fee.
Why Liverpool should consider Mohammed Kudus
Kudus has endured something of a Jekyll and Hyde Premier League career so far, rip-roaring and rampant under David Moyes' wing but decidedly out of sorts last season, albeit along with the rest of the West Ham team.
West Ham's Mohammed Kudus
His end product certainly leaves something to be desired, having only posted 19 goals and 13 assists across 80 matches for the Irons. However, Kudus' athleticism and energy would be a dream for any maestro, and especially so in Wirtz's case.
Indeed, Wirtz's 'genius' on the ball, his ability to place surgical passes through the lines, practically seems like a purpose-built quality for Kudus to latch onto.
FFC in-text wider Kudus-1
The intensity of his dribbling stretches beyond what, say, Diaz brings to the table. Manchester City's Jeremy Doku was the only man to exceed his dribble count in the Premier League last season, and he ranked among the top 2% of positional peers across Europe's top five leagues for successful take-ons per 90 (3.20), as per FBref.
A successful take-on is recorded when a player beats their opponent by directly carrying the ball past them while retaining possession.
And moreover, the 24-year-old's versatility could see Slot utilise his powers from a range of areas, curving in from the left or pulling defenders away down the right.
Mohammed Kudus - Career Stats by Position
Position
Right winger
Centre-forward
Attacking midfield
Central midfield
Left winger
Data via Transfermarkt
Described as a "generational talent" by journalist Gary Al-Smith, Kudus has immense potential that perhaps hasn't been realised yet.
Look at Ryan Gravenberch, look at Gakpo. These are rising talents who have hit new levels under Slot's wing at Liverpool, and who is to say that the United winger won't undergo the same exciting transformation?
He won 6.4 duels and averaged 4.3 ball recoveries per game in the Premier League last year, as per Sofascore, also completing 90% of his passes.
This is a player with staggering potential and a robust physicality to suggest he has what it takes to play an important role at Liverpool.
Given that he'd be playing alongside a one-of-a-kind sensation in Wirtz and Liverpool could snap him up for a cut-price fee, what's not to like?
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