Arne Slot ought to offer four Stars of Liverpool’s first squad make difficult summer transfer decisions
As Arne Slot is ready to take over as head coach, Liverpool might have a busy summer ahead of them.
By letting players go, he might help free up cash to spend on new hires. Liverpool is getting ready for Arne Slot to take over as head coach of the team.
The Dutchman may have to make some significant decisions during the transfer window as his appointment is about to be finalised. Slot won’t have total authority over moves; Richard Hughes, the new sporting director, will take the lead in that regard. However, he will be part of the decision-making process about possible outgoings and target identification.
The Feyenoord manager has stated that he will not raid his current team’s roster upon his return, although Liverpool is expected to bolster this summer in an effort to catch up to Manchester City and Arsenal at the top.
Although Mohamed Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Virgil van Dijk are expected to stay, Liverpool may need to let go of a few players in order to meet profit and sustainability rules and pay for transfers. During the transfer window, the following four players can discover that their futures are elsewhere.
Caoimhín Kelleher
Caoimhín Kelleher should be playing regular first-team football at this point in his career, but Liverpool is not going to gain anything from moving him.
The Republic of Ireland has been dubbed the greatest No. 2 in the world by Klopp, but at 25, that claim shouldn’t hold much weight. During Alisson’s injury absence, Kelleher had his moment to shine and proved his worth, but as soon as the Brazilian was cleared to play again, he was cut from the squad and hasn’t been back since.
He was wanted by Nottingham Forest in January, but Liverpool turned down a $19 million (£15 million/€17 million) bid, according to the Daily Mail. There will be plenty of offers for him if he becomes available, with Celtic reportedly being quite interested.
Liverpool would be able to recover a respectable sum of money and then sign a younger player who, like Kelleher, wants to grow and learn from Alisson.
Konaté Ibrahima
Ibrahima Konaté is a surprising addition for some Liverpool fans because he hasn’t played well enough this year.
For the majority of the campaign, the Frenchman has been prone to ailments, and there are indications that he is beginning to lose his reliability.
Since Dominic Calvert-Lewin gave Konaté the runaround in the Merseyside derby, the player has not appeared on the pitch; at the moment, Jarell Quansah appears to be ahead of Konaté. Of course, under Slot, that might alter in the summer, but with Joël Matip’s contract ending, it is certain that at least one defensive addition will be sought.
Konaté might eventually fall farther in the hierarchy as a result of that anticipated newcomer. His outstanding performances in Germany might draw interest in his services, and he should be included in the France squad for Euro 2024.
Tsimikas Kostas
Kostas Tsimikas may find that leaving Anfield after four seasons is the best course of action. Due to an unfortunate injury that he sustained at the same time as Andy Robertson, he has only made eight starts in the Premier League this season. However, Joe Gomez has frequently been chosen at left-back since he regained his health, as demonstrated on Monday night against Villa.
Under Slot, you would anticipate Robertson to be first choice once more, therefore Tsimikas would once more have to make do with cup appearances.
Although he only inked a new long-term contract in September, Liverpool should be able to obtain a higher price for the Greece international in 2020 than the $15 million (£12 million/€14 million) it paid for him.
Luis Díaz
Even though Luis Díaz has been a consistent member of the Liverpool team this season, his future is still uncertain. Despite his 13 goals across all competitions, Jamie Carragher has stated that an upgrade might be pursued.
Since coming from Porto in 2022, he has not signed a new contract, making him one among the club’s lowest paid. The Colombian international is reportedly attracting interest from PSG and Barcelona, and according to Mundo Deportivo, Díaz is eager to join the Nou Camp.
The Athletic has already stated that Liverpool is searching for a wide attacker this summer. By selling Díaz for $95 million (£75 million/€87 million), they would have more money to spend on new players. Díaz might be the one to go if Mohamed Salah decides to stay.