Liverpool have reached a critical juncture, and though it feels like they can take a breather now that Champions League football appears to be on the cards, a big decision looms.
Will the Reds stick or twist with Arne Slot, whose second term in the Anfield dugout pales in comparison to that heady first year in charge, leading Liverpool to the Premier League title, tromping over rivals and claiming the division's Manager of the Year award.
Liverpool's Recent Premier League Finishes
Season
25/26
24/25
23/24
22/23
21/22
20/21
19/20
Many want Slot gone, but us fans are a fickle lot, and it's easy to forget how good Liverpool were until the handbrake was applied toward the end of last season. By that point, the league title was in the bag.
If FSG get their transfer strategy right this summer, the Dutch coach could be the man to lead Liverpool back into the limelight, but there's no question about the scale of the job at hand over the dog days of summer.
Liverpool's top summer transfer targets
Liverpool need to sign new forwards this summer, one to replace Mohamed Salah, another to combat the long-term Achilles injury Hugo Ekitike picked up last month. Perhaps one more still.
Liverpool's Alexis Mac Allister looks dejected
However, the Anfield side's midfield performances have left too much to be desired. There is the crux of Liverpool's collapse, that formerly far-reaching nexus that has since fallen in on itself. Alexis Mac Allister has probably been the worst of the bunch and should be sold this summer.
Of course, the jury is still out for the under-fire manager, who didn't help his case with a poor performance against Manchester United last weekend, ending in a 3-2 defeat.
jurgen-klopp-ucl-win Related
Instead of Alonso: Liverpool could hire 4-2-3-1 manager who's the new Klopp
Liverpool's under-fire head coach is walking a tightrope ahead of his end-of-season review.
At least FSG have acted prudently to fix Liverpool's porous defence: the £60m Jeremy Jacquet will join from Rennes at the end of the season, and Ibrahima Konate is closing in on a new contract.
This hasn't stopped Liverpool from registering their interest in Tottenham Hotspur's Micky van de Ven, though. According to TEAMtalk, FSG are 'extremely keen' on bringing the Dutchman to Anfield this summer, believed to have the edge on their Premier League rivals Manchester United.
Tottenham Hotspur's Micky van de Ven celebrates scoring their third goal
Valued at around £90m, Van de Ven is Spurs' star man. If they go down, though, ENIC Group won't be able to make such exorbitant demands. Liverpool are determined to get their man, though, with the 25-year-old considered the prime candidate to replace Virgil van Dijk, who will leave when his contract expires in one year.
If Liverpool get this one over the line, they could even find they've signed their next Dominik Szoboszlai.
Why Van de Ven could be Liverpool's new Szoboszlai
It sounds a bit weird. After all, Van de Ven is not a rip-roaring attacking midfielder, even if his alliance of muscles and power and athleticism have fashioned him into a one-of-a-kind defender, capable of things that most centre-backs can only dream of.
Liverpool were in for the Netherlands international back when he joined Tottenham from Wolfsburg in 2023. However, he viewed north London as the more prudent career path, and even if fortunes have taken a downswing recently for the Lilywhites, he remains one of the Premier League's star players, described as a "monster" by football reporter Elliot Jackson.
Standing out for a poor team? Sounds a lot like Szoboszlai at Liverpool this season, and while Van de Ven may not share the Hungarian's positional value, he does boast strength and presence that few across Europe can match.
szoboszlai-liverpool (3)
If Liverpool were to sign him this summer, he would be given a new lease of life, finally matching his top-class talent with an outfit who are aiming for the title.
It's been a tough year for Tottenham, but Van de Ven has performed better than many top centre-backs at high-performing clubs would have done in his place. He has completed 90% of his passes and won 62% of his ground duels.
Micky van de Ven for Tottenham
Van de Ven is the real deal, and he would thrive in a more stable backline. Liverpool might not have the firmest shield wall in the Premier League this season, but they have talent in abundance, and a robust athlete like Van de Ven would add the physicality and technicality that Szoboszlai brings with such aplomb in the centre of the park.
michael-olise-bayern-munich Related
Liverpool become frontrunners to sign their own Olise for £87m
FSG need to replace Liverpool legend Mohamed Salah in the summer transfer market.