Slot, Reijnen and a Summer of Big Calls
Liverpool supporters are weighing up Slot staying, a potential new assistant, and what that might mean for recruitment. The feeling is simple: solve the problem areas quickly, or pressure will build fast.
It looks like Arne Slot will be staying then, as I doubt we'd be signing up his old assistant, Etienne Reijnen, only to throw Slot out the door. All I can say, is I hope Reijnen's coming in to replace Giovanni Van Bronckhorst because I've had enough of his bloody 'horseshoe' tactics he's carried over from his former sides. It really is a miserable watch.
I know it's not what most of us wanted, but If the clubs decision is that Slot stays with a new assistant, let's just hope he proves the majority of us wrong. Slot's been adamant in recent interviews that he has a plan for next season and that he knows how to fix our problems.
Right-back, height and the links being made
Judging by Slot's recent comments about other top sides having height in the full back areas, I'd suggest that the links to Denzel Dumfries and Jules Kounde to fix our RB issue, are legitimate. They're both very good in the air for full backs, and Dumfries in particular is readily available for just £20-25m, whereas Kounde would likely cost closer to £50-60m. Neither are particularly young, but Connor Bradley will still be hoping to make a full recovery long term.
Frontline pace and the Salah-sized problem
It's also abundantly clear we want to get more pace in the frontline and the biggest test this summer is replacing Mo Salah at RW. We tried for Antoine Semenyo and failed, so now we're being very seriously linked with Yan Diomande or Bradley Barcola. Both have blistering pace and can also play on either flank. My gut is that PSG might win the race for Diomande given he's priced at £80-90m, and we'll then settle for Barcola at £70-80m. I'm happy with either.
Midfield and centre-back: what gets done, and what does not
Presumably at least one CM will be signed, but as much as I'm praying for us to go for Lamine Camara, all signs seem to point towards Adam Wharton right now. We've been tracking him for years and Palace are reportedly willing to do business at £60m. He's a slight improvement on what we have but I just don't think he's the right profile of player. Time will tell because it seems like the most predictable transfer.
Then at CB, it looks like Ibrahima Konate is going nowhere, in which case I very much doubt we'll go for another CB on top of Jeremy Jacquet (who was already sealed for £60m back in January). Not with Giovanni Leoni back fit for pre-season and Virgil still proving he can play every minute of every game.
The other good news is it would seem that Alisson Becker and Curtis Jones will both stay despite the rumours of discontent. Also, Slot has already confirmed that Kostas Tsimikas is coming back for next season, quite a few weeks back. That replaces Andy Robertson with minimal fuss. That is 3 less positions that we need to spend on.
I think that Alexis Mac Allister's perceived lack of commitment to our cause this season has played him out of any suspected move to Madrid, so I'm guessing he'll stay now. I can't say the same of Joe Gomez, Wataru Endo and Federico Chiesa though. There's really not much point in them sticking around when they're so severely underused and untrusted.
With the severity of the injury to Hugo Ekitike and Slot staying, I don't think Cody Gakpo will be going anywhere. He'll probably be playing close to half of our games at CF next season. Alexander Isak needs to be carefully managed due to his recurring injuries.
Who stays, who might go, and the pressure on Slot
So, 26/27 squad prediction time. I'm going to try and be 'optimistic' and assume we can keep hold of most of the team this summer. Although some might argue it's better to have a big clear-out, I actually like our squad and think it was the tactics and fitness that let us down.
Reijnen was apparently the man Slot wanted to be his assistant in the first place, but he lacked the right credentials to coach in England. If Slot's given his No.1 choice for assistant manager as well as the current most heavily linked players for our problem areas (Dumfries at RB, Jacquet at CB, Wharton in CM and Barcola/Diomande at RW) then there can be no excuses next season. He has to turn things around fast.
Manager: Slot
Assistant: Reijnen
4-3-3
GK: Alisson, Mamardashvili, Woodman
RB: Dumfries, Bradley
CB: Konate, Jacquet
CB: Virgil, Leoni
LB: Kerkez, Tsimikas
CM: Gravenberch, Nyoni
CM: Wharton, Jones
CM: Szoboszlai, Mac Allister
RW: Barcola/Diomande, Frimpong
CF: Isak, Gakpo, Ekitike
LW: Wirtz, Rio
As much as I'd like a 'Camara-type' midfielder, we know Slot doesn't utilise one and he'll point to the 24/25 title win as evidence you don't need one, whether the supporters agree or not. What I would say, is it will be a huge difference to our midfield next season just to not have Dominik Szoboszlai at RB for half the season!
If the season starts badly though, I fully expect Slot will walk very early on. FSG gave Brendan Rodgers a chance to turn things around after a bad season despite him not having any silverware as credit in the bank. However when he couldn't, they pulled the trigger decisively in November and appointed Jurgen Klopp. Slot's under extreme pressure to deliver now. There will be no shortage of suitors for the Liverpool job, even if it only becomes an open post, mid-season.
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