Liverpool are showing signs of resurgence with an unbeaten run in their last 10 games, but Arne Slott has a move at his disposal that could take their comeback into the next gear.
Arne Slott has made a number of moves to get his best out of Liverpool again (Image: Carl Recine/Getty Images)
After a dismal autumn performance, Arne Slott is looking to make up for lost time to get Liverpool back to the top. The Reds remain unbeaten in 10 games in all competitions and realistically have a shot at two titles after the Christmas swing.
One new player has already arrived on Merseyside, with 17-year-old Mol Tara Ndiay joining from Senegalese club Amitie in January. But if the club wants to return to their former heights, this month’s signing fee of more than £1 million will be enough.
Conor Bradley’s season-ending injury has created a hole at right-back that may need to be addressed sooner rather than later. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg in terms of moves Liverpool could make to continue getting back on track.
Conor Bradley cover
Bradley’s nightmare ACL injury against Arsenal was recently confirmed to be the very worst-case scenario as he prepares for knee surgery. There is already one replacement for the Dutch international in Jeremy Frimpong in the slot, but this summer’s signing looks even more adept at a more advanced wing role at Anfield.
However, there’s another Dutch prospect who could make perfect sense given that Slott is well-educated about the talent of Zivairo Reed. Not only did he give the 19-year-old his Feyenoord debut in 2024, but the player is also known to be a Liverpool fan.
read more: Liverpool transfer news: Joel Ordonez transfer schedule as Reds target former Real Madrid aceread more: Liverpool confirm worst injury fear with star player Conor Bradley out, requiring surgery
Reid was asked last year to choose between Manchester United and Manchester City as his Premier League destination. Instead, he used the opportunity to demonstrate his loyalty in a way that undoubtedly worked at Anfield.
“Liverpool, for sure! Nothing else, no one else,” was his reply. Personal motivations are often key when pushing a deal over the line, and Liverpool’s relationship with Reid has already accelerated in light of Bradley’s injury.
The key will be finding a balance so that players competing for similar positions don’t have too high expectations once Bradley returns. However, given Reid’s age and the fact that Frimpong could make more sense as Mohamed Salah’s successor should the Egyptian move on, signing Reid now could prove logical in any case.
£73m star signing deal
Speaking of logical decisions, there is evidence to suggest that Liverpool would be wise to tie Dominik Szoboszlai to a new deal in the near future. The free-kick maestro has been at Anfield for almost three years and has been touted by many fans as the club’s future captain, looking to do everything he can to justify a reported £60m investment.
A player contracted until 2028 may not seem to be an immediate concern for the club. But getting these kinds of deals underway is exactly the kind of behind-the-scenes work that CEO Michael Edwards and director Richard Hughes have been praised for in recent years.
Dominik Szoboszlai has quickly risen through the ranks to become one of Liverpool’s most valuable stars (Image: Getty Images)
Needless to say, Szoboszlai, who is currently valued at £73m according to Transfermarkt, is not alone in Liverpool’s midfield in that respect. Ryan Gravenbirch and Alexis Mac Allister are also currently under contract and are due to expire in just over two years.
If all three elements of Liverpool’s midfield structure are able to carry out a deal, it would be nothing short of a ‘Defcon 1’ scenario. In order to reduce the risk of a sudden leak starting with the heroic Hungarians, it would make sense to shift the expiry date.
Szoboszlai is 27 years old and could (in theory) be enjoying his prime years even as his contract is about to expire. Furthermore, given his shrewd work filling in at right-back and other roles when called upon, handing him a contract extension at this early stage seems like a very low-risk, high-reward move.
Alternative to Sineconate
A more pressing contractual concern is Ibrahima Konate, who will leave the team in the slot on a free transfer at the end of this season. And while Crystal Palace’s Marc Guéhi is the centre-back that fans are clamoring for, Rennes’ Jeremy Jacquet is also reportedly on the Reds’ radar.
The Parisian will never provide the same presence as the Premier League-proven Guehi, who is also a free signing in the summer. However, the France Under-21 international was a near-constant presence in Rennes’ defense during his first full season in Ligue 1.
Konate is not the only concern in Liverpool’s central defense, given that Virgil van Dijk has struggled to match his former heights this season. Italian prodigy Giovanni Leoni is also expected to miss the rest of the season with an anterior cruciate ligament injury, leaving Joe Gomez and the almost invisible Rhys Williams as the only remaining natural replacements.
Jeremy Jacquet has quickly established himself as a player to watch at Rennes this season (Image: Getty Images)
Seducing Jaquet, who turns 21 in July, from Brittany will not be an easy task as he is highly rated and has been linked with both Arsenal and Chelsea. The player signed a contract extension until 2029 in May last year, but it is not known whether there is a release clause in the contract.
That said, the player is thought to be worth just around £15,000 a week, and the Reds could increase this figure further to lure him away from Rennes. And while Gehi has been touted as an Anfield centre-back for some time now, Jaquet offers another affordable option with perhaps an even higher ceiling given his age profile.
Konate’s contract has been a growing issue, but there are no concrete signs of an extension. To make the argument for an early replacement even more convincing, the Frenchman is not short of suitors.
Real Madrid were rumored to be interested in signing the player, but it appears their interest has waned. Paris Saint-Germain have been touted as a potential move to bring Konate back to France, while Bayern Munich could revive his Bundesliga career.
