Richard Hughes hints at the future as Liverpool offer him the transfer opportunity they can’t pass up

Liverpool have yet to spring into action in the transfer window.

New sporting director Richard Hughes has been working alongside Arne Slot over the past few weeks and the players now returning to the AXA Training Center will be able to get a better idea of ​​what is required to complete their squad.

And Hughes admitted he did not expect the transfer window to start until the end of July at the earliest, with a “crescendo” predicted in August when clubs really get down to business.

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But it was another line from Hughes in his unveiling press conference that may have piqued the interest of Liverpool supporters, with him admitting the club will take an opportunistic approach to the transfer window.

So what does this mean for the rest of the summer? And should Liverpool fans be encouraged or worried? Our writers have their say:

Paul Gorst

The connotations of the word ‘opportunist’ have perhaps led to some reluctance from a fan base that is always picky when it comes to Liverpool’s transfer window.

The idea has been floated that the club will pounce in the final hours of the window in a desperate bid to add to their squad, but the reality is quite different.

As always, Liverpool will be measured in their approach to revenue, although the idea of ​​the club being, as Hughes puts it, “opportunistic” at least presents the prospect of them moving slightly away from their recent recruitment strategy . .

Under Jurgen Klopp, the general cookie-cutter model was in place, with players tending to be aged between 22 and 25, around £35-50m and with 150-200 appearances per seniors already on their names.

Liverpool paid Dominik Szoboszlai’s £60m buyout clause last summer and Ryan Gravenberch was just 21 when he arrived, but the master plan has been largely followed in recent years with captures such as Ibrahima Konate , Diogo Jota, Cody Gakpo and Luis Diaz, while Darwin Nunez’s initial £64m price tag was split over a six-year deal rather than the usual favored five.

Thiago Alcantara was arguably an ‘opportunistic’ signing, given he was looking for a new challenge with less than a year under his contract at Bayern Munich, while Takumi Minamino also fits that description, given a modest £7m buyout clause at Red Bull Salzburg.

The addition of 30-year-old Wataru Endo was a departure from the usual script, but Liverpool’s interest in Leny Yoro and Anthony Gordon both point to that ‘opportunistic’ pattern with the Reds lying in wait should Real Madrid would miss the boat on Lille. defender, and the latter was offered to them as part of Newcastle United’s efforts to comply with the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules last month.

Hughes’ statement suggests that Liverpool will remain ready and prepared for whatever they may be looking to wrap up relatively quickly, rather than any protracted, protracted search for players in certain positions, such as the much-discussed efforts to recruit a defensive midfielder last summer .

In the meantime, though, expect links and lots of them.

Joe Rimmer

Liverpool are often at their best when they take an opportunistic approach to the window alongside long-term plans.

Take 2018, for example. Liverpool discussed the possibility of signing Alisson Becker from Roma but thought the deal died when Real Madrid showed interest. Eventually, Madrid backed off and Liverpool swung into action. A £68m deal later and the Reds have landed their long-term goalkeeper.

A year earlier, Liverpool moved on deadline day to sign Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain after he turned down a contract with Arsenal. He more than played his part in the next five successful years under Jurgen Klopp.

The list could go on, and if Hughes can move quickly for quality players – think Leny Yoro – should Liverpool sniff a chance, then they must not pass up the chance to give Slot the best squad possible.

Hughes hasn’t had the chance to work on longer-term transfers, but Liverpool’s recruitment team, including Dave Fallows and Barry Hunter, will know what is needed next to supplement Slott’s squad and we need to see that after the from Euro 2024 and the return of the Copa America.

But opportunistic? I’m all for it. It is the right approach. as long as it is not the only approach.

Richard Garnett

A new broom sweeps, but as was the case with Trigger’s broom from Only Fools and Horses, this one has some new heads and handles. Arne Slot is in the rather advantageous position of having savvy operator Richard Hughes at his disposal for transfer decisions, and with Michael Edwards and Julian Ward also backing up top with FSG, Liverpool have no shortage of expertise in recruitment to lean on.

Up to this point, Slott’s arrival at Anfield has been relatively low-key, perhaps understandably so given his predecessor, but I suspect we are in the calm before the storm. The Dutchman needs time to properly assess his already strong squad and identify areas for improvement. This process is somewhat delayed by the Euros, the Copa America and the holidays that will follow.

But as Hughes has already suggested, August could be a different story. Liverpool have lost a number of out-of-contract players this summer, but they remain in a strong position and that means they could have the resources to pull out gems and lock-in deals if they feel the circumstances are right.

Players like youngster Leny Yoro and Bayern Leverkusen star Jeremie Frimpong are enticing but feel like targets that should only be made on the Reds’ terms. The same could be said of Atalanta midfielders Ederson and Teun Koopmeiners. With no concern for profit and sustainability to hinder their efforts, there is every chance that the AXA Training Ground could welcome some unexpected faces in the coming weeks. It will be fascinating to watch.