Liverpool have been preparing for a new chapter on Merseyside following the appointment of Andoni Iraola.
The Reds had an incredibly difficult season, finishing fifth in the Premier League following their title victory just 12 months earlier and scraping Champions League qualification.
Despite the success in his debut season, patience rapidly wore thin with Arne Slot and his approach to Liverpool’s performances and tactics, which ultimately led to his departure at the beginning of this month.
The acquisition of Iraola represents the Liverpool hierarchy’s understanding of what the supporters want to see on the pitch, with high-energy attacking football an absolute certainty from the former AFC Bournemouth boss.
Now the club have the task of providing their new head coach with the tools to execute his philosophy, and a strong summer transfer window will be imperative.
What are Liverpool’s transfer plans?
With the departures of so many influential players this summer, finding the next generation of success will be a difficult task for Richard Hughes.
However, Liverpool have already begun adding fresh faces to their squad, with up-and-coming talent Victor Munoz joining from Osasuna for £34.5m.
Elsewhere, the Reds have been linked with another World Cup sensation, as Germany midfielder Felix Nmecha is said to be a target, while France and PSG star Bradley Barcola has also been continuously touted for a move to Anfield.
Perhaps the biggest story of Liverpool’s transfer window so far has been their approach for RB Leipzig and Cote d’Ivoire winger Yan Diomande, with a bid of £87m already rejected by the Bundesliga club.
Will Liverpool make another bid for Yan Diomande?
It was reported by some news outlets that Liverpool had made an improved £100m bid yesterday, but this was quickly debunked by noted source BILD, which confirmed that no journalist from the publication had made the claim.
Leipzig are fighting to keep their 19-year-old winger for another year, but the Daily Mail’s Lewis Steele claims that Diomande’s representatives are growing frustrated with the lack of progress in negotiations over their client’s move to Liverpool.
Speaking on YouTube, Steele revealed:
“I think there’s a little bit of frustration on the player’s side from what I’ve heard that it’s maybe taking a little bit longer than some people may have anticipated.
“I’m talking about his camp.
“Maybe they thought it was going to go a bit quicker, but now they’re sort of resigned to the fact it might drag on after the World Cup, but they accept it.
“But also, you never know. Liverpool could just pull their finger out, and it’d be done in the next day or two.”
Should Liverpool pay the fee for Diomande?
There is no doubt that Diomande is an outstanding talent with the potential to become an important player for Liverpool if he continues to develop and refine his current skill set.
However, after a £450m summer recruitment drive last year that saw the Reds part with £115m for Florian Wirtz and £125m for Alexander Isak, it comes as no surprise that the club want to proceed with caution before making another significant investment after such an underwhelming start from their most expensive signings.
Indeed, the expectations for Diomande in his first few seasons at Anfield are lower than those for Bundesliga champion Florian Wirtz and established striker Alexander Isak, but Liverpool would essentially be paying for potential at this stage and backing themselves to develop him, accepting the risk that it may not work out in the long run.
Having said that, the market has long been distorted, and every summer we see increasingly outlandish transfer fees for players who have had merely a good 12 months under their belt.
As a result, the signing of Diomande would be a statement of intent that Liverpool are keen to build for the long-term future of the squad rather than simply finding short-term fixes to replace the likes of Mohamed Salah.
However, it is not unreasonable to approach a deal with caution and, if they can negotiate a deal that mutually benefits both parties before a competitor takes the plunge, it would be a great piece of business for the future of Liverpool’s forward line.