ARNE SLOT ADMITS MAJOR LIVERPOOL TRANSFERS ‘WILL PROBABLY HAPPEN’ AS CURTIS JONES LETS SLIP TOP PRIORITY
Liverpool manager Arne Slot has moved to ease the perceived panic over the club’s lack of transfer activity so far, insisting it is just a matter of time before new signings arrive, and with Curtis Jones letting slip the Reds’ major focus this summer.
A new era is underway at Anfield with Slot stepping into the sizeable shoes vacated by Jurgen Klopp with Liverpool set for their first public outing under their new manager when they take on Real Betis in Pittsburgh on Saturday evening. Having worked with only two-thirds of his squad thus far, it would be unfair to judge the new manager if the result over in the United States does not go quite according to plan.
Indeed, Slot has spent the first few weeks of his new job getting used to his surroundings, getting to understand the best qualities of his players and discussing with sporting director Richard Hughes – a new appointment himself – on what is required to take the Reds to the next level.
Having won the Carabao Cup last season, but then having run out of steam in both their Europa League and Premier League challenge, Slot has a squad that, on paper at least, should just need a little fine-tuning to be in the running to win some of the game’s top prizes once again.
However, with just a few days until August – and with the window due to close in just over a month’s time on Friday August 30 – the Merseysiders are yet to dip their toes into the summer market.
Arne Slot answers fears over lack of Liverpool transfers
And while they have added highly-rated Chelsea youth player Rio Ngumoha, his transfer cannot be ratified until the Premier League approves the move and concludes their own investigation into the deal.
However, TEAMtalk understands that the Reds boss still very much intends to add to his squad. He ideally would like to add a left-sided centre-half to his mix – switching Virgil van Dijk across to the right-side of central defence – while also adding a new defensive midfielder.
Indeed, in his preliminary discussions with Hughes, Slot is understood to have stated that the failure to properly replace Fabinho last summer was one factor in Liverpool running out of steam during Klopp’s final weeks in charge.
A new left-sided attacker is also seen as desirable too, though whether Liverpool can finance such a move remains to be seen.
Either way, Slot is refusing to panic right now and has moved to ease any growing fears among Liverpool fans over their lack of transfer activity, stressing that he is convinced that deals are there to be done.
“The first one is one of the reasons, me wanting to assess the squad, which is difficult because most of them are still not here. And the second one also has to do with the difficulty [that] if you inherited a team that is really good then it’s not so easy to find players that are of the same standards or even higher, especially because those ones need to be available as well,” Slot told the club’s official website.
“But like I said, Richard more than me is really working hard on that as well and he keeps me updated every time. If there is any news on that, we will come to you.”
Curtis Jones drops hint at Liverpool transfer activity
Insisting some new signings will ‘probably happen in the end’ but that his side are waiting for the right opportunities, a calm Slot sent a message to supporters.
“Like I said, we already have a very good team I’m already really happy with,” he stressed. “But it would be a surprise for all of us I think if we don’t bring any player in, so that will probably happen in the end.
“But for now, we are just waiting for the players to come back and waiting for the right ones to sign.”
The Reds have been linked with plenty of midfielders this summer, ranging from brilliant No 8 Teun Koopmeiners to some better equipped to shine as No 6s – much like the role Fabinho did at Anfield.
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Now Reds midfielder Jones has given a little insight into the new manager’s thinking, making clear that the central midfield will form a large part of Slot’s plans going forwards.
Speaking very positively on the new coach, Jones added: “Of course, the principles are the same but I feel like now the centre midfield is going to be kind of more the heart of the team.”
His comments tally with those recently made by summer 2023 arrival, Wataru Endo, who also admitted the Reds would be looking to sign cover and competition for him this summer.
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