Dreaming of Arne Slot’s first starting XI match as the truth of the Liverpool transfer is already clear

Pre-season is a few weeks away and Arne Slot is still getting used to his Liverpool players. Eleven of the senior stars are still on holiday after either the European Championship or the Copa America.

However, the countdown is very long to the first Premier League game of the new season, with the US tournament starting later this week and a behind-closed-doors meeting with Preston North End on Friday. In four weeks’ time today, Liverpool take on Ipswich Town at Portman Road in the first competitive game of the Slot.

In terms of on-field changes from last season, nothing has really happened so far. There has yet to be any movement in the transfer market and new contracts for key players have yet to be sorted out.

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But there is still time to make more additions to the list. If nothing else, those who haven’t returned from their post-international duty are still taking a break — Trent Alexander-Arnold, Alexis Mac Allister, Darwin Nunez and many others — will be added back into the fold and that will make a substantial difference to how things look.

Most of Liverpool’s starting XI will be sorted in Slot’s mind, regardless of what might happen between now and August 17 in the transfer market. With no midweek game to think about, the team that starts against Ipswich may simply be the one the Dutch manager feels is the strongest.

Taking potential injuries out of the equation because they can’t be predicted, Alisson Becker will be in goal and it seems a pretty safe bet that Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold will be at full-back. Virgil van Dijk will start at centre-back, likely alongside Ibrahima Konate or Jarell Quansah.

Even if Liverpool sign an alternative Leny Yoro before the start of the new season, it seems unrealistic that the player would instantly break into the starting XI. This is probably a big part of why Yoro ended up at Manchester United, which can give him more guaranteed minutes.

In midfield, Alexis Mac Allister’s performances last season mean he should start. Harvey Elliott is also probably holding the jersey to his right as it stands. Dominik Szoboszlai will be hoping to win it back, while Curtis Jones looks the ideal man for the left-back number eight role.

In attack, Mohamed Salah is the only one of the senior forwards to have returned to pre-season training and that won’t change for a few more weeks. Diogo Jota will be back next and the Portugal ace should be considered favorite to take the number nine spot, while Cody Gakpo should be ahead of Luis Diaz in the race to start on the left.

Darwin Nunez could easily be in the squad and Liverpool should look to add even more depth to their attacking ranks before the start of the new season, even if Kaide Gordon and Ben Doak will also push for minutes. As with centre-back, however, it seems unlikely that a new signing could instantly command a place in the side.

Anthony Gordon would probably be the dream catch to play on the left flank, but that would probably mean losing Diaz to make room. And even if the Newcastle striker were to hypothetically arrive, it could take him some time to adjust to his new side. Liverpool need more defensive depth and would ideally add another striker to their squad, but the reality is they aren’t needed to start either.

Because of this, Liverpool’s lack of signings at the moment is not the concern that many might think it is. The deadline for offers is not until August 30 — if nothing has changed by then, it would be a concern. Until then, though, the truth is there’s no reason to panic.