Liverpool might be on the brink of bagging the Premier League title, but that doesn't mean they're not facing a few headaches.
The potential loss of Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold is well documented, but the Reds are also grappling with squad-building issues. While the futures of Salah and Van Dijk hang in the balance, Alexander-Arnold's switch to Real Madrid seems like a done deal.
His exit will leave a gaping void on Liverpool's right side of defence and dangerously deplete their homegrown player count. Premier League regulations mandate clubs to have at least eight homegrown players in a full 25-man squad, capping non-homegrown players at 17.
A homegrown player is one who has been registered with an English club for three years before their 21st birthday. This season, Arne Slot has just seven homegrown stars in his senior squad, and Alexander-Arnold's exit will whittle that number down to six.
Plus, several other homegrown and soon-to-be homegrown players are rumoured to be leaving this summer, which means Liverpool might need to focus on signing players groomed in England - enter Jeremie Frimpong.
The Bayer Leverkusen right-back, who has been on Liverpool's radar for a while, spent nine years in Manchester City's academy, making him eligible for homegrown status. His signing wouldn't just plug the gap left by Alexander-Arnold - it would also help Liverpool meet their homegrown quota.
Jeremie Frimpong at Manchester City
Jeremie Frimpong qualifies as homegrown thanks to his spell at Man City (Image: Getty Images)
Frimpong, 24, has been in solid form for Xabi Alonso's team lately. He played a key role in their Bundesliga victory last season and has been a regular fixture in the squad since his move from Celtic in 2021.
Reports suggest that the Dutchman has a £33.5million buyout clause in his contract and it's believed that Liverpool are mulling over a summer bid. His relatively affordable price tag could be a game-changer, especially with the Reds looking to bolster several areas this summer.
They will need to find replacements for Salah and Van Dijk if they don't sign new contracts soon, and it's rumoured that the club are in the market for a new striker too, with Newcastle's Alexander Isak high on their list.
Liverpool boss Arne Slot watches on at Wembley
Arne Slot must manage his Liverpool squad carefully (Image: Chris Brunskill/Fantasista, Getty Images)
If Frimpong steps into Alexander-Arnold's shoes, Liverpool's homegrown tally won't take a hit. However, the futures of several other homegrown players remains up in the air.
Back-up keeper Caoimhin Kelleher might be on the move for more pitch time, especially with Giorgi Mamardashvili of Valencia set to join in the summer. Likewise, Harvey Elliott and Jarell Quansah are linked with end-of-season exits due to scant game-time under Slot.
Liverpool need to handle this situation carefully or they could end up having to trim their squad. If they only register seven homegrown players, they'll be stuck with a 24-player limit. With six, it drops to 23, and so forth.
Jurgen Klopp
Jurgen Klopp struggled to fill Liverpool's homegrown quota too (Image: Getty Images)
Players who are under 21 at the start of the season don't need to be registered and don't count towards the homegrown or non-homegrown quotas. This season, Elliott and Quansah didn't qualify for homegrown status, but as both have turned 21, they'll be eligible next season - if they stick around, that is.
Jurgen Klopp fell foul of these regulations in 2023/24. After initially naming a 25-man squad, he had to reduce it to 21 midway through the season after losing several homegrown stars including James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jordan Henderson and Nat Phillips.
Similarly, he had a reduced squad of just 23 players in 2022/23, and 24 players in 2021/22.