This summer’s transfer window looks set to be one of the biggest and costliest in Liverpool’s long history.
The Reds are seemingly committed to pressing home their advantage as Premier League champions and are ready to build on what they already have at Anfield.
Jeremie Frimpong has arrived as the first addition of the off-season but is highly unlikely to be the last.
As Arne Slot said prior to the market even opening, it has already been a big summer at Liverpool thanks to the contract extensions of Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah.
For a long time, it had looked possible that Van Dijk and Salah would leave along with Trent Alexander-Arnold. However, Liverpool eventually acted decisively to keep two of their star players.
Much of the work in keeping both players was done by sporting director Richard Hughes. Hughes had a tricky start to life at Anfield, but has since come into his own, tying up contracts and making important signings. And as Frimpong settles into life at Liverpool, he has given Reds fans a subtle idea of how good the former Scotland midfielder is at his job.
Photo by Nikki Dyer - LFC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images
Photo by Nikki Dyer – LFC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images
Richard Hughes is covering all bases
With Liverpool staying quiet in the market last summer, and then taking a long while before sorting out their contract issues, Hughes came in for some criticism from the fanbase.
Nevertheless, Hughes also earned praise from inside the industry for the way he operates, and it was only going to be a matter of time before he came good.
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With another bid for Florian Wirtz on the way, Frimpong done and several more additions to come, it is clear that Liverpool have got themselves a serious operator.
And after the Reds released a video of Frimpong’s signing day two weeks or so ago, the Dutchman reminded the cameras that he had actually visited the Liverpool training ground before with Bayer Leverkusen.
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“We came to the training ground after the match when we played against Liverpool, so I’ve seen it,” says Frimpong. “Pfft, what can I say?! This is what everyone kid dreams of, facilities like this. I’m just blessed to be here.”
Liverpool invited Leverkusen to their facilities the day after beating them in the Champions League last November. With the Reds going on to target Frimpong and Wirtz, this is unlikely to have been a coincidence.
There may have been other reasons for the visit too, but there’s no escaping that it was slightly unprecedented. It also showed that in Hughes, Liverpool have someone who is prepared to think outside the box to get the advantage on targets.
Hughes deserves his flowers
Had Liverpool allowed Van Dijk and Salah to walk away this summer, Hughes would really have been under pressure to deliver a big window.
As it is, the sporting director has got fans onside, and going big on a player like Wirtz is only going to enhance his reputation further.
Given there are still some holes in the Liverpool squad that could do with filling for the rest of the summer, some tests still lie ahead for Hughes.
But after what he has achieved in the market already, Liverpool fans should have confidence that the right players will be brought in.
It hasn’t always been the case, but right now, Hughes deserves his flowers. He is clearly very, very good at his job.