Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes has his work cut out with regards to planning the squad for next season. While Arne Slot’s side look to drive home their advantage and win the Premier League this season, work is underway behind the scenes to look for players who could join the club next summer. The recruitment team are closely assessing the gaps in the squad that they need to fill at the end of the campaign and some clear ideas are already taking shape in recruitment meetings.
Hughes is currently busy with negotiations over new deals for Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold. He has caught flak for dragging his feet in the talks but the Liverpool sporting director is putting the club’s interest above the player’s demands at the moment.
Van Dijk is expected to sign a new contract. However, Hughes and the rest of the recruitment team are aware that they need to bring in his long-term successor sooner or later. Liverpool have been linked with an interest in several centre-backs and the club are indeed looking at defenders across Europe.
The Liverpool sporting director has been accused of being too ‘robotic’ but the club need that ruthlessness if they are to secure a centre-back who could go on to replace Van Dink in the team in the coming years.
Van Dijk was signed from Southampton in January 2018 and Liverpool are likely to prefer to sign a defender from the Premier League again given he would not need time to adapt to the intensity of the league. The Reds need a player ready to be in the starting eleven from the get-go and they have their eyes on one such star centre-back.
The Reds eyeing defensive reinforcements within the Premier League
With Van Dijk set to stay, Liverpool do not have the pressure of finding an immediate replacement. However, they still want to bring in someone who could ease the pressure on the Dutchman to start every game. Several defenders are on their radar but one signing could be a complete game changer for the Merseyside giants next summer.
Marc Guehi showed last summer why Newcastle were desperate to sign him. He was the best defender in an England team who were the runners-up in the European Championship. Crystal Palace resisted selling him but he is almost certain to leave in the summer of 2025. Newcastle are expected to rekindle their interest but the 24-year-old could have bigger clubs to choose from.
Can you name the team Liverpool sold these players to?
Liverpool have their eyes on Guehi and he is seen as the ideal long-term replacement for Van Dijk. He has proven his class in the Premier League and would be ready to start alongside the Dutchman or even replace him if needed. Is he going to be expensive? Yes. Palace are likely to demand the £75m they wanted for him last summer. However, he would be worth every penny and could sort out the centre-back area for the next decade for Liverpool.
However, Liverpool are also looking at full-back options next season. Signing a right-back is dependent on the future of Trent Alexander-Arnold but it seems increasingly likely that Liverpool want a new left-back.
Andy Robertson is expected to be offered a new contract. However, Liverpool want to sign a long-term successor to the Scotsman who has shown signs of wear and tear this season.
Liverpool are tracking several left-backs but one name is being looked at with serious interest. Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez has emerged as a top target for the Merseyside giants.
The Hungarian has been putting in eye-catching performances for an impressive Bournemouth side and is now being linked with a move to bigger clubs in the Premier League.
Hughes played a big role in signing him at Bournemouth last year and is leading Liverpool’s interest in the defender. He has a close relationship with the camp and hopes to leverage that to make them favourites to take Kerkez to Anfield next summer. The 21-year-old is seen as a player who could not only be an upgrade on Kostas Tsimikas but a long-term replacement for Robertson in the coming years.
The Liverpool back-four could look very different with the introduction of Guehi and Kerkez and on paper, an upgrade on what they have as resources this season.
