It’s shaping up to be a busy summer for Liverpool—not just in terms of recruitment, but also in adapting to life as Premier League champions under head coach Arne Slot. We spoke to Will Rooney of Liverpoolworld to get his take on Liverpool’s summer priorities, where the club might look to reinforce, and how the recruitment team will work to support Slot’s vision—both immediately and for the long term.
00:00It's shaping up to be a busy summer for Liverpool, not just in terms of recruitment, but also in adapting to life as Premier League champions under head coach Arne Schlott.
00:13Following a season that saw a return to silverware and a top four finish, the Reds now enter a transitional phase with fresh ideas, evolving tactics and the ambition to push even further.
00:25Optimism is high at Anfield, but so is the need for precision in planning.
00:30With a new era underway, Liverpool must strike the right balance between strengthening key areas and maintaining the core identity that has brought success in recent years.
00:41The squad already boasts a strong foundation with several key figures remaining and young talent continuing to emerge.
00:49We spoke with Will Rooney of Liverpool World to get his take on Liverpool's summer priorities, where the club might look to reinforce and how the recruitment team will work to support Schlott's vision both immediately and for the long term.
01:06In terms of players leaving Liverpool this summer, obviously, Trent's gone, Keller has gone as well.
01:17Players where you feel there are still a number of players in the Liverpool side that would have wanted first team minutes and they're just finding themselves falling short because the players who are competing in their position are just...
01:29You know, had a much better season and a much better output than them in general.
01:34So, who could leave Liverpool is there still, you know, movements obviously.
01:38Harvey Elliott has been vocal about his playing time, you know, on international duty as well.
01:43He wants to make sure that he's getting some Premier League minutes, you know, probably more than last season as well.
01:48Yeah, Elliott's an interesting one now with Wirt coming in, as you say.
01:53Where does the future lie for him because he sees himself as a number 10?
01:57He's not going to play on the right wing because Mo Salah's there.
02:01I don't really think he's a winger either.
02:03I think he is a number 10 and Harvey Elliott's maybe looking at this and thinking I might have to move on.
02:08Maybe Liverpool could install a buyback clause like they are doing with Gerald Kwanza going to buy a Leverkusen.
02:16Liverpool, even though they're having a big summer in terms of spending, you know, say 200 million pounds at least now,
02:25with the goalkeeper Marmitash Vili coming in as well as Frim Pongwert and Milos Kierkez.
02:30It's still going to balance the books, it's still going to be run sustainably.
02:35So, Elliott, you could get a good FIFA, say Alexander Arnold, Keller has gone, Kwanza has gone.
02:41You're looking at Darwin Nunes, I think everyone accepts that after three years at Liverpool.
02:46It just unfortunately hasn't worked out.
02:49It's just a struggle for consistency.
02:54There's been some brilliant moments of his Liverpool career.
02:57You think of that double off the bench at Newcastle and you're down to ten men.
03:00The one at Brentford earlier this season coming off the bench and scoring two late goals.
03:05But he's just struggled to find real cast iron consistency.
03:09And three years, I think, is long enough to judge everyone.
03:13I think maybe last season we were saying, well, one more year, we'll give it.
03:17And it just hasn't worked out.
03:19He started eight Premier League games this season.
03:21Which says it all, really, for a player who arrived for £64 million initially.
03:29I don't think Liverpool hit the 85 that caused reach.
03:32But you can't say that Liverpool fans haven't given him a chance at how they've always stood by him.
03:38So I think he's one who would move on.
03:41And then with Kirkes coming in, one of our left backs, Andy Robertson, or Costa Simakas,
03:47I think Liverpool would probably rather keep Andy Robertson.
03:50Because I don't think Kirkes has initially been coming in to be starting week in, week out.
03:56I think it would be rotated.
03:58He'd have to learn a little bit.
04:00And Robertson, his experience would be invaluable in the dressing room.
04:04But he might not want to play fewer minutes, especially with the World Cup coming up.
04:11And he might want to go and experience something else at Atletico Madrid.
04:14If not Costa Simakas, does he want to go and play regular football elsewhere?
04:18So there's decisions to be made on a couple more players.
04:21And just one more is Federico Chieda.
04:23You would be surprised if he stays at the club to the transfer market again.
04:28Centre-back will be a priority now if Gerald Quante will even talk about Mark Gahey.
04:34Can Liverpool get the right price for him?
04:36Did he go and look at other options?
04:38And then maybe a striker as well, depending on what Arna Slough fancies.
