Liverpool manager Arne Slot faces major decisions the summer transfer window when the Reds begin planning for next season
Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike of Liverpool
Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike both signed for Liverpool in the last summer transfer window(Image: Clive Mason, Getty Images)
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Liverpool have experienced a tough season and are poised for major changes in the upcoming summer transfer window. The current champions fell out of the title race early on as a summer of change resulted in a period of transition.
The Reds have bounced back from the low point of losing six out of seven league matches between September and November. The subsequent 12 games have seen just one loss, as manager Arne Slot implemented a more defensive strategy, with the recent 4-1 triumph over Newcastle United indicating that Liverpool are gradually returning to form.
That match showcased the promise of new recruits Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike, who combined effectively and hinted at a promising future. However, Liverpool still face several crucial decisions as they continue to rebuild and restructure their squad. Here's a look at how the Reds might alter their team next season.
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£86m duo to step up
Liverpool have identified the long-term successors to Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate in central defence. Giovanni Leoni made a £26million switch from Parma last August and the Reds have since agreed a £60m deal for Rennes centre-back Jeremy Jacquet, who is scheduled to arrive at Anfield next season.
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Given the substantial fee paid for Jacquet, who has been lauded for his performances in Ligue 1, it is widely anticipated that the 20-year-old will immediately fit into the Liverpool team. His fellow countryman Konate is also nearing the end of his contract and hasn't yet agreed to new terms, potentially leaving a spot for Jacquet to claim.
Club captain Van Dijk continues to display remarkable consistency, featuring in every Premier League and Champions League match so far this season. However, at 34 years old, Liverpool need a succession plan for their iconic defender.
Leoni had the misfortune of sustaining a season-ending injury on his Liverpool debut in September. However, the teenager is clearly highly valued by the club and, once fully recovered, could gradually start to ease the burden on Van Dijk next season.
Jeremy Jacquet of Rennes
Jeremy Jacquet is set to be part of Liverpool's defence next season(Image: Neal Simpson/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images)
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Isak's new role
Much of Liverpool's expensive summer window revolved around their pursuit of Alexander Isak, who had excelled at Newcastle United. The Reds paid a British record £125m for the Swedish striker but Isak was lacking fitness, limiting him to six league starts, before he suffered a serious injury in December.
Meanwhile, Ekitike was signed for £79m and made an immediate impact in a Liverpool shirt, netting 15 goals in 32 matches for his new club. The conundrum facing Reds boss Slot is whether to field both his star strikers together.
It was a strategy that the manager chose not to employ in the Premier League, although the pair did start together in Champions League wins against Eintracht Frankfurt and Inter Milan. However, given the squad's lack of experience with a 4-4-2 system, Isak is likely to face a challenge in displacing Ekitike as Liverpool's first-choice striker once he returns from injury.
This would mean Isak having to accept the unexpected position of being Liverpool's second-choice number nine, which wouldn't have been what he imagined for his Anfield career. It would then fall to the 26-year-old to seize the chances presented to him and demonstrate that he can reproduce his Newcastle form within Slot's system.
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Mohamed Salah exit
It has been an eventful season for Mohamed Salah, despite finding it difficult to maintain his peak form on the pitch, having ended last term with 29 league goals. He has still managed nine goal contributions across 16 matches but much of the attention has focused on Salah's future.
Mohamed Salah of Liverpool
Mohamed Salah has had an eventful season so far(Image: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
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After Liverpool's poor run of results, Slot dropped Salah to the bench, leading to a memorable outburst following the club's draw with Leeds United in December. The Egypt international then represented his nation at the Africa Cup of Nations and has since returned to the Liverpool squad but was the subject of speculation throughout the January transfer window.
The 33-year-old is nearing the last year of his contract and has been persistently linked with a move to the Saudi Pro League. Considering his diminished output this season, it may be the right time for Liverpool to sell the club legend, paving the way for Wirtz and Ekitike to take centre stage in the team's attack.