Where Do Liverpool Need to Strengthen for Next Season?

Liverpool deserves a lot of credit for their impressive season in the league, and they capped it by winning the league title with four games to go. But despite showing high levels of performance all season and being favourites for every game, the team still needs to improve to maintain the same levels and challenge for a 21st league title.

Tying down Mo Salah and defender Virgil Van Dyke has gone along way in that direction, but with Trent Alexander-Arnold going to Real Madrid, the position needs addressing, alongside various others.

Right-Back: Replacing Alexander-Arnold

Alongside the likes of Salah and Van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold has been one of the key figures behind Liverpool’s success in the last few seasons. He has given Liverpool a unique combination of creativity and defensive prowess, essentially redefining the right-back role. It won’t be easy to replace him, but that’s the next task for Arne Slot.

The first consideration will be Conor Bradley, the 21-year-old backup from the academy. He has been unfortunate with injuries this season and hasn’t played a huge role, but he played around 20 straight games when TAA was injured last season. Liverpool can decide to hand the role to him, with Arne Slot showing he has confidence in him by comparing him to PSG’s Achraf Hakimi.

However, he needs competition, so the club will likely be tempted to look at the market. The leading candidate on 1xbet.ie casino is Bayern Leverkusen’s Jeremie Frimpong, who has been a revelation in the Bundesliga. The 24-year-old has 37 goal involvements over the last two seasons (18 goals, 19 assists), which is quite commendable for a defender. He has a release clause of €35m (£29.6m), which could fit Liverpool’s budget.

Alternatively, the club is said to be considering AS Monaco man Vanderson. The 23-year-old isn’t as prolific, but his defensive stats put him in the top 5% across Europe’s top five leagues. He’ll cost around €30 million.

Left-Back: Planning for Robertson’s Successor

Andy Robertson has been one of the best left-backs in the Premier League, and at 31, he still has a lot of football left in him. However, the left-back’s performances have been wanting this season, with some fans even calling for his departure.

Kostas Tsimikas has been the backup left-back and has played his part in helping Liverpool lift the trophy, but he may not have a long-term future at the club. His performances haven’t inspired a lot of confidence for such a high-performing squad, so he’s likely to make way in the summer.

Top of the transfer list is Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez. The 21-year-old has been a standout performer at the Vitality Stadium this season, with 7 goal contributions and 8 clean sheets. The Hungarian has world-class potential, and Liverpool are said to be ready to meet his £40m price tag.

Antonee Robinson from Fulham has also caught Liverpool’s attention with his own impressive season. The American, 27, is more established in the Premier League and has registered 10 assists this season. His price tag is similar to Kerkez’s, but he offers a more immediate solution.

Striker: Nunez Set to Leave?

Darwin Núñez joined from Benfica in 2022 for a club record fee of £85m. However, the Uruguayan has struggled to establish himself in the Liverpool team since then, and his time at Anfield seems to be over.

Under Slot, the 25-year-old has only managed 5 goals and 3 assists in 27 appearances, which is quite concerning for a team that has scored 81 goals in 35 Premier League matches. Over the season, Slot has called on Jota and Diaz to occupy the central spot, with Nunez on the bench or even missing in the matchday squad altogether.

Napoli are said to be interested in the striker, with Atletico Madrid and Al Hilal also potential suitors. As a replacement, Liverpool will be looking for a striker who can lift some of the goal-scoring responsibilities from Mo Salah, who is set to turn 33 in June.

There aren’t clear front runners for now, but the dream signing would likely be Newcastle’s Alexander Isak, according to Fabrizio Romano. However, the Swede has three years left on his contract, and Newcastle’s valuation of around £130m will make the deal difficult to pull off. Other names that have been thrown around are Hugo Ekitike from Reims and Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo.

Besides these three positions, Liverpool will also likely look at strengthening the midfield and centre-back positions, especially considering that the club didn’t spend much last summer. Gravenberch has done amazingly in the defensive role, but it will be interesting to see if Liverpool will still be on the market for a specialist.

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