In his final column of the season, John Aldridge looks at the business Liverpool should be doing in the transfer window and a warning for Arne Slot
Jarrod Bowen of West Ham United
Jarrod Bowen of West Ham United(Image: Kevin Hodgson/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
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They may not end up spending anywhere near as much as last summer. But it promises to be another big transfer window for Liverpool.
And it needs to be. The squad isn’t good enough and isn’t deep enough. That has been proven throughout the season.
For me, the priority simply has to be a holding midfielder. I know that might not fit into Arne Slot’s overall vision of wanting progressive players in the centre of the park, but we need someone who is going to protect the back four.
Liverpool have almost always had one such player in their team. And, don't forget, it was the signing of Fabinho in 2018 that turned us from challengers to champions.
The back four was left exposed far too often over the season with the midfield simply much too open. Ryan Gravenberch is a good player but we’ve seen over the last 12 to 18 months that he isn’t a number six, and having one in the team would release him further upfield.
Alexis Mac Allister could have done the job but he is unrecognisable compared to the player of previous years and there’s no guarantee he will ever get back to that level.
Liverpool looked at Moises Caicedo three years ago but since then a main defensive midfielder hasn’t really appeared a priority. They seem to have stopped looking.
Wataru Endo is a good squad player and can help out when required, although of course him being injured for much of this season didn’t help.
Elsewhere, Kostas Tsimikas can be the backup left-back option after returning from Roma on loan, and he would be a welcome addition to the playing staff behind the scenes. He’s a good lad and he knows what’s required. We need characters like that.
It looks like Rio Ngumoha and Cody Gakpo can be the main options on the left wing, but with Mohamed Salah going, Liverpool need a high-profile right winger who can go straight into the team.
And the injury to Hugo Ekitike would persuade me to bring in a versatile forward. Jarrod Bowen is the one for me. Yes, he’s 29. But he knows the Premier League, he is a leader, he gives 100% and you can still get some good years out of him. He will also be of benefit in the dressing room and is a homegrown player.
Right-back is a difficult one but I wouldn’t be surprised if one is bought. Conor Bradley has had his injury issues and Jeremie Frimpong hasn’t really proven the answer.
At centre-back, the Ibrahima Konate contract situation still isn’t sorted and that worries me. I know Jeremy Jacquet is already coming in, but if Konate goes then we will need to bring in another defender as Virgil van Dijk isn’t getting any younger.
A lot of players are being linked with a departure but they can’t all go. Liverpool need strength in depth and squad players are all going to get minutes.
And there is absolutely no way Alisson Becker should be allowed to leave. That would be ridiculous.
He has two or three more good years left in him, even if he is now suffering a bit through injuries. He surely can’t go anywhere.
Slot losing favour
I’m not sure where Arne Slot is with the Liverpool owners in terms of his relationship with them.
But I can tell the Reds coach that regards his standing with some of the supporters I know, it’s not looking good at the moment.
The main complaint is the team doesn’t appear to be leaving it all out there week after week as they did, dare it be said, under Jurgen Klopp.
That level of effort on the pitch in terms of desire, commitment and hunger is the very least the fans would expect. And that didn’t happen enough.
That’s why we are now in the bracket of Brentford, Bournemouth, Fulham and Brighton. The top four this season are way ahead of us and three of them won major trophies.
Liverpool were fortunate this season that fifth place was sufficient for Champions league qualification.