Kostas Tsimikas is slated to return to Liverpool next season as replacement for Andy Robertson, with Arne Slot strongly hinting at the Greek’s role on Friday.
Liverpool head into the summer already knowing they will lose two of their most important players in vice-captain Robertson and all-time third-top goalscorer Mo Salah.
But while there will be a focus on sourcing Salah’s successor, there may be an in-house solution at left-back.
Tsimikas has spent the season on loan at AS Roma but will return to Merseyside in the summer and will have a year remaining on his contract.
And discussing Liverpool’s transfer plans when speaking on Friday, Slot suggested the plan would be to reintregrate Tsimikas as Milos Kerkez‘s backup.
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“Last summer we made quite a lot of signings and that’s why we traded so much,” he told reporters at the AXA Training Centre.
“I think in the four windows I’m here now we’ve had a net spend of £150 million. So that says what kind of club we are.
“We know that Robbo is going to leave, we know that Mo is going to leave, so that means changing two players.
“We also know that Kostas Tsimikas comes back.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Tuesday, April 14, 2026: Liverpool's Mohamed Salah during the UEFA Champions League Quarter-Final 2nd Leg match between Liverpool FC and Paris Saint-Germain FC at Anfield. PSG won 2-0 on the night, 4-0 on aggregate. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Who will Liverpool sign to replace Mo Salah?
Liverpool hold an interest in RB Leipzig’s Yan Diomande, 19, and Hoffenheim’s Bazoumana Toure, 20, while Brighton‘s Yankuba Minteh, 21, is another linked.
“I think the first aim is to see how we are acting in the position of Mo, if we want to replace that with a similar player or do it differently.
“For the rest I don’t think at this moment of time there’s a chance of other players leaving.
“Of course there’s the Ibou [Konate] contract situation, so then there might not be such a big need for trading a lot if you don’t need to bring a lot of new players in.”
Kostas Tsimikas Roma (Andrew Milligan/PA)
Tsimikas has struggled for consistent starts at Roma, having been named in the XI for only 11 of his 24 appearances so far, and there were even reports they could cancel his loan in January.
He has remained a useful player for a side vying for a top-four finish in Serie A, but there is clearly no intention to turn his loan deal permanent.
While Tsimikas is a downgrade on Robertson, it is understandable that Liverpool would prioritise other areas when they are able to bring back a player already settled within the squad and experienced in their recent success.
Kostas Tsimikas: Roma Stats 2025/26
Apps Starts Minutes Goals Assists
24 11 1,053 0 1
“This is already a very strong team, but it takes some changes, with Robbo and Mo leaving. But as I said many times, the future looks bright for us,” Slot continued.
“I don’t think in numbers. [I think in] areas and which players we already know that are going to leave. Let’s see what happens in the summer.
“You know we are a trading club, so let’s first see what’s actually going to happen in the summer and then we’ll also know better what we need to bring in.”
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