£55m defender, former Everton star – Liverpool given transfer priority verdict

The summer transfer window is not even two weeks away and some Liverpool fans are getting restless.

New head coach Arne Slot has finally been unveiled, but Liverpool’s transfer business is yet to begin as several clubs complete a number of deals ahead of the June 30 PSR deadline.

However, Liverpool have no such spending worries and it means the Reds can plan carefully in the market. They have done just that, with Slot admitting he speaks daily with sporting director Richard Hughes as they plan improvements for the squad.

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But with several positions clear, Liverpool could strengthen this summer and player links continue on a daily basis, who should the Reds target in the window? Our writers have their say:

Theo Squires

Wataru Endo has already told Liverpool what their transfer priority should be this summer – a new defensive midfielder.

Speaking in his native Japan, the 31-year-old admitted he would like to see the Reds sign a new enforcer. In the same interview, he shared how he hopes to represent his homeland at this summer’s Olympics in Paris, which would essentially rule him out for the entire preseason.

If that’s not enough to make you realize how practically sixth-placed Liverpool are, nothing will.

The Reds need another centre-back, as my colleagues claim. If Caoimhin Kelleher and Adrian leave, they will need reinforcements in goal. And no one would be against recruiting another striker. But at the moment they already possess first-choice options in such berths, with any new arrivals complimenting their current ranks.

Instead, a new defensive midfielder could prove to be first choice. Liverpool can’t have another season to put Alexis MacAllister out of position, while Stefan Bajcetic has spent the last 18 months injured and is still only 19. With Endo 31 years ago and not a long term answer , the void left by Fabinho must be filled.

Last season we saw how much of a difference Declan Rice made for Arsenal. We’ve seen the influence Rodri has on Man City for a few years now. Easier said than done, but the Reds need to find their own answer in the engine room.

Fabinho changed the game when he signed in 2018, helping Liverpool win every major honour. Club bosses know the impact such a player can have. After a year without it, it’s time to go get one.

Joe Rimmer

Liverpool’s clear priority should be centre-back.

The Reds could have a number of positions they need to fill this summer, with forward line and central midfield and areas we’ve seen a lot of talk about. Left-back is another area where the Reds could improve if Kostas Tsimikas leaves the club this summer.

But for all the arguments surrounding these positions, there are plenty of options for Arne Slot to choose from as things stand.

The same cannot be said at centre-back, where Joel Matip’s departure and Ibrahima Konate’s ongoing injury woes make the area look light indeed. Jarell Quansah is a big prospect, but with just one year of senior football under his belt, he shouldn’t be put under too much pressure. And while Joe Gomez is an option, he is often asked to cover at fullback.

Meanwhile, Virgil van Dijk will be 33 when the season starts and next summer, some succession planning there wouldn’t go amiss.

It’s encouraging to see Liverpool as one of those chasing the club’s £55m-rated Leny Yoro, with his potential clear to see. And if Liverpool are to have any chance of signing him, he simply needs to be at the front of the queue should Real Madrid get scratched.

However, they will need alternative options if he does end up in Madrid.

The idea that they won’t look at that position if Yoro’s signing isn’t secured is a little concerning. We’ve seen Liverpool take risks like this before and it almost never paid off.

Richard Garnett

Liverpool’s clean sheet against Wolves on the final day of the 2023-24 season was their first in the Premier League since March 2, so if that doesn’t tell you the Reds might need some tightening at the back, then they don’t. what will

Ibrahima Konate didn’t quite convince me that he was the man to lead Arne Slot’s backline once Virgil van Dijk called it quits, so there’s certainly room for someone to step up to take on that responsibility. Riccardo Calafiori has emerged as an interesting prospect and has a bit more experience than the highly rated Leny Yoro. The Italian would also be slightly cheaper and we all know how much FSG love a bargain.

I would also be tempted to bring in another left back to put Andy Robertson under more pressure. The Scot has been a brilliant servant for the Reds, but a top team never stands still. Fulham’s Antonee Robinson impressed every time he faced Liverpool last season and fits the type of dynamic, hard-working full-back you would want to see at Anfield.

While we’re in the business of keeping things tight at the back, looking for another backup goaltender seems like a pretty good idea. It’s just so much Caoimhin Kelleher will be set to play second fiddle to Alisson and if I were the talented Irishman I know what I would do.

Stephen Killen

As previously mentioned, Liverpool could benefit from strengthening their defensive options. However, there is still a lot of room for growth in Jarell Quansah’s career, and while it is an area for improvement this summer, it shouldn’t be a priority.

Arne Slot will inherit a good squad, but there are plenty of ways to strengthen, especially up front. Mohamed Salah and Luis Diaz face speculation over their futures, while the jury is still very much out on Cody Gakpo and Darwin Nunez. From his exploits in Holland, Gakpo has shown that the number nine or ‘new Roberto Firmino’ role is not his calling – and he belongs on the left of a front three.

Nunez is in terrific form for Marcelo Bielsa’s Uruguay, but his performances for the Reds have left plenty wanting. With the start of a new era at Liverpool, they need to provide some competition in the number nine position for Nunez and not rely so much on the poor striker.

Liverpool are in need of a goalscorer this summer to unlock the relaxed Nunez, who despite his goal against Panama missed a few guilty chances in the 25-year-old’s catalog of missed opportunities in 2023/24 . When the margins for error between Arsenal and Manchester City are so small, Liverpool cannot afford to miss the mark.

Keifer MacDonald

Of course, some areas of Liverpool’s squad need more attention than others in Arne Slot’s first summer at Anfield.

Jarell Quansah’s surprise emergence as a genuine first-team player has perhaps masked the lack of defensive options Jurgen Klopp had at his disposal last season as his Liverpool side spent the opening weeks of the spring competing on numerous fronts.

And couple Quansah’s inexperience with Ibrahima Konate’s injury record and Virgil van Dijk’s uncertain future at Anfield and it would be no surprise for the Reds to target defensive reinforcements this summer.

But Liverpool’s main priority in this summer’s transfer window is to recruit a ready-made defensive midfielder who can anchor their Premier League and Champions League ambitions, just as Fabinho did at the peak of his powers between 2019 and 2022.

However, since the Brazilian’s departure from Anfield last July, the Reds have been unable to really replace his presence at the base of midfield and have instead had to settle for Wataru Endo’s stop-gap solution. The Japan international’s arrival at Anfield came after Chelsea pipped Liverpool to the signings of Romeo Lavia and Moises Caicedo.

And if you go back 12 months, Real Madrid beat the Reds to the signing of Aurelien Tchouameni in June 2022; showing that Liverpool’s transfer gurus have been aware for several years that a new No.6 is needed at Anfield.

The same opportunity cannot be missed this summer.