Amid the celebrations at Anfield toward the end of April, after Liverpool had thrashed Tottenham Hotspur to seal the Premier League title, Arne Slot could be seen in deep conversation with sporting director Richard Hughes.
Hughes, who reports to Michael Edwards but wields principal transfer control for the Reds, has only overseen the signing of Federico Chiesa since Jurgen Klopp left one year ago, but who can argue this careful approach hasn’t borne dividends?
Now, though, is the time for action. Strengthen while you’re on top, and all that. However, there is truth in the case for new signings, with Arsenal and Manchester City both looking to rebound from frustrating campaigns and sure to be busy across the summer months.
Slot’s title-winning side are also set to lose Trent Alexander-Arnold on a free transfer, and in spite of the season’s success, the first team bears several yawning holes that need redressing.
Liverpool's summer transfer plans
FSG have moved quickly for Bayer Leverkusen star Jeremie Frimpong, who is Trent’s ostensible replacement but carries a dynamic approach which will see him fill multiple roles down the right flank.
A deal has yet to be finalised, but the Dutchman is in the closing stages of a transfer to Merseyside, with Liverpool ready to activate his release clause in the region of €35m (£30m).
It means Liverpool can turn toward the other defensive flank, with Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez at the top of the shopping list, and focus on replacing striker Darwin Nunez, who has only scored seven times this season.
Even the most ardent Nunez supporters would struggle to stake a case for a fourth term as Liverpool’s centre-forward. He needs to be sold to make way for something new.
However, the 25-year-old would be a tad frustrated if he leaves as one of the game’s highest-calibre playmakers makes their way into Slot’s squad.
Meeting slated as Liverpool chase superstar
According to Caught Offside, Liverpool have scheduled a meeting to discuss signing Bayer Leverkusen star Florian Wirtz, with The Athletic previously confirming the Reds have joined Manchester City and Bayern Munich in the race.
Their sources anticipate a ‘big push’ from Liverpool in the coming days, with a deal slated for around €120m (£101m), which is more affordable than previously believed.
Though it’s felt that Bayern still have the lead in the race, it’s very much open and FSG are pushing to accelerate matters, emboldened by their understanding that Die Werkself would rather sell abroad than to the Bundesliga champions, who dethroned them last week.
This suggests that Liverpool have a big advantage in the race to sign the star, because they are a more attractive destination to Leverkusen than Bayern are.
What Florian Wirtz would bring to Liverpool
Curiously, data-driven site FBref list Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal as one of Wirtz’s most comparable players. Obviously, there are patent differences between the two, but Liverpool could emulate Hansi Flick’s success in building a new era with such a poster boy who can challenge at the pinnacle for many years to come.
The 22-year-old Wirtz might still be young, but he’s already regarded as a “world-class” player by talent scout Jacek Kulig, something echoed by the masses, for sure.
He might even be further into his incredible development, had he not torn his anterior cruciate ligament in March 2022. Aged 18 and regarded as a prodigy, this could have been detrimental, but the German international bounced back in January 2023 and made headway before winning the Bundesliga in his first full season back, and claiming the Player of the Year award besides.
Still, it hardly matters now, for Wirtz has posted, incredibly, 68 goal contributions for Leverkusen across the past two seasons.
He’s got the talent to rival Yamal, to be sure, with the teenage sensation, still only 17, having bagged La Liga and Copa del Rey titles this year after winning the Euros with Spain last summer.
Yamal will only get better, but he has that special flair across underlying physical and athletic metrics that bespeaks his generational quality. It’s something Wirtz yields too.
Goals
0.46
0.29
Assists
0.37
0.38
Shots taken
2.88
4.24
Shot-creating actions
5.64
5.56
Pass completion
80%
75.1%
Passes attempted
64.65
47.52
Progressive passes
6.91
4.92
Progressive carries
4.55
5.88
Successful take-ons
2.88
4.82
Ball recoveries
4.26
3.81
Tackles + interceptions
1.52
1.84
Both players boast similar playmaking metrics, but it’s interesting to note that Wirtz is far more economical with his striking, far outstripping Yamal in front of goal despite taking fewer shots on average.
Moreover, he’s crisper in possession and more of a natural distributor, making a remarkable number of progressive passes per game.
A pass is considered progressive if the distance between the starting point and the next touch is at least 10 meters closer to the opponent’s goal or any completed pass into the penalty area.
There’s a very good chance these two players will be dominating European football for years to come, so why wouldn’t Liverpool want to get ahead of the curve by signing one of the generation’s superstars to Slot’s cause?. It would be a sure-fire way of consolidating this season’s triumph, no doubt.
Though Yamal would be the perfect heir to Mohamed Salah’s throne, it’s probably fair to say he’s untouchable. However, Wirtz is the most sought-after talent on the market right now, and Liverpool have a genuine chance to bring him over to Anfield in the coming months.
To say Wirtz has a high ceiling would be false; the German star has no ceiling. Like Yamal, the sky is not the limit but the expectation. At Liverpool, under Slot’s wing, he could become one of the greatest players of his generation, ensuring Anfield stays at the top of the domestic and European game for many years to come.
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