Jurgen Klopp declared he was ‘happy to be back’ at the AXA Training Centre as Liverpool reported for the start of pre-season training on Saturday.
The Reds ultimately endured a disappointing season last year as they failed to win any major silverware and missed out on Champions League qualification. But having put together an 11-game unbeaten run to finish the campaign, Kopites still head into the new season full of optimism.
Liverpool were left with an ageing, injury-prone squad last year, and one in dire need of a midfield revamp, as they navigated an unwanted transitional campaign. Yet Klopp wasted no time in starting to address such issues, with a number of players departing in the close-season, and two new midfielders already brought in.
Of course, such work is only the beginning as the Reds look to bounce back from last year and emerge as title challengers once again. With five weeks until the start of the new Premier League season, there is plenty still to be done and Klopp's in-tray is bulging…
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Appoint a new vice-captain
Following long-serving vice-captain James Milner’s departure to Brighton & Hove Albion, Liverpool are in need of a new deputy to serve behind Jordan Henderson. After all, the chosen number two is likely to lead the Reds on numerous occasions this year, with the England international having just turned 33 and needing to be managed appropriately.
In truth, it’s an easy task for Klopp with Virgil van Dijk likely to just step up the pecking order. Still, the German can dot the i's and cross the t's to make his promotion official.
When fourth-choice captain Gini Wijnaldum left in the summer of 2021, Klopp added three new members to the Liverpool leadership group following a player vote. With one of Andy Robertson, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Alisson Becker likely to be the new third-choice captain, the German will need to decide if the group is in need of any new members again, with Mohamed Salah one such player who would be itching for the extra responsibility.
Fine-tune the formation
For the majority of Klopp’s Anfield reign, 4-3-3 has been Liverpool’s go-to formation. Yet, when things didn’t go to plan last year, he switched to an inverted full-back system, which saw the Reds line up in a 3-2-2-3 set-up when on the ball.
The change of formation got the best from the likes of Alexander-Arnold, now unleashed in midfield, and Curtis Jones, while it also made better use of Salah in front of goal. Yet the tweak was only necessary because of how obvious Liverpool’s midfield woes were as they were left lacking intensity and consequently lost their identity.
So, do new signings and a full pre-season lead to a return to basics, or will Klopp stick with the new formation? Given that both Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szosboszlai are attacking midfielders, as things stand you’d expect the latter.
As a result, the Reds really need to find-tune the new formation, to iron out the issues they stumbled upon when switching things up late-season. Klopp himself would admit the system needed work defensively, with Ibrahima Konate covering the right-side of defence and Robertson adjusting to a more defensively-inclined role.
With sides still capable of taking advantage of the space in behind Liverpool’s defence, it’s clear what the Reds will be looking to improve this pre-season as they look to really get to grips with the new formation.
Settle in Szoboszlai and Mac Allister
It goes without saying that Liverpool could do with both Mac Allister and Szoboszlai settling in quickly. In the long-term, the £95m pair are very much going to be first-choice for the Reds, after all.
In the past, the likes of Salah, Van Dijk, and Luis Diaz have made an immediate impact upon arriving at the club. However, others, like Robertson, Fabinho, and Darwin Nunez took a little bit longer to get acclimatised to their new surroundings.
Normally, that’s fine with Liverpool’s strength in depth ensuring they can be patient with new signings if needed. However, given just how much the Reds’ midfield struggled last year as Klopp’s side were left without legs in the engine-room, they could really do with their two new signings addressing such issues as quickly as possible.
Get more out of Darwin Nunez, Fabinho and co.
While Liverpool’s change of formation got the best out of Alexander-Arnold to resurrect his fortunes in a dismal season, it remained a below-par campaign for a number of his Reds team-mates.
Fabinho’s decline was arguably the most obvious example, with question marks hanging over his long-term future at the club as a result. Klopp will need to build the Brazilian back up, hoping he can rediscover his best form or if his drop-off last year signals the beginning of the end of his Liverpool career.
He wasn’t the only sufferer, of course, with the Reds also hoping the likes of Van Dijk and Henderson can play their way back into top form. Meanwhile, it’s clear Klopp’s man-management will need to be at its very best to rebuild Joe Gomez’s flailing confidence as he continues to struggle after long-term injury.
Pre-season also offers a big opportunity for both Diogo Jota and Diaz to take a giant step towards their best form as they look to make up for lost time after serious injury, while Stefan Bajcetic will make his own return after a season-ending injury. But the biggest headache could be Nunez.
Klopp publicly conceded on more than one occasion that the Uruguayan’s grasp of English was not satisfactory last season, with him failing to understand the German’s demands and losing his place in the starting XI as a result. A talented player, as his maiden 15-goal campaign clearly shows, Liverpool need the striker to push on again this season.
Move on fringe players and make a decision on youngsters
As things stand, Klopp would actually possess a full 25-man squad for this season’s Europa League. And while such a squad is completed by a number of players you don’t expect to see running out for Liverpool in 2023/24, it’s clear the Reds do need to move on some of their back-up options.
Nat Phillips is the most obvious example after another season on the fringes at Anfield. Now 26, he has served Liverpool well over the past three seasons, but it’s clear, after numerous collapsed moves, he needs to depart once and for all for the sake of his own career.
While the centre-back could leave permanently, a number of other fringe players could depart on loan. Sepp van den Berg is one likely candidate, while Tyler Morton is unlikely to get much game-time at Anfield this season, given the fact that Klopp has eight senior midfielders ahead of him in the pecking order.
Beyond that, decisions need to be made on the likes of Conor Bradley, Bobby Clark, and some of their other fellow Academy graduates. Granted pre-season to impress, Klopp will decide if any youngsters can be considered part of the first team this season, or if they would benefit from a loan move away rather than another season of youth football.
Talk to Thiago about his future
Thiago Alcantara is out of contract next summer and, as things stand, rather unlikely to be offered an extension. Recently, there has been interest in his services from Saudi Arabia and Turkey, though no club has made an approach to Liverpool.
The Spaniard will be one of the players to report back for pre-season training on day one on Saturday, and Klopp will need to talk to the 32-year-old about his future sooner or later. Does he want to sit out the final year of his contract at Anfield, or would he prefer a clean slate elsewhere after an injury-plagued season.
While Liverpool would be happy to call upon Thiago’s services again this season, they can’t let his future become a distraction. If he’s tempted by a lucrative offer from Saudi Arabia and wishes to move on, the Reds would be wise to resolve his future as quickly as possible.
Beyond the Spaniard, there are also question marks over the futures of Caoimhin Kelleher, Joel Matip, and Kostas Tsimikas. Again, conversations need to be held regarding what the trio wish to do, with Klopp in need of replacements if any of the trio ask to move on.
So, two more signings?
The majority of the Liverpool fanbase are in agreement with regards to what they would like to see the Reds do in the transfer market over the next two months - sign a third new midfielder and bring in a left-sided centre-back.
Of course, you could make arguments for a new right-back, or even a forward, while the uncertainty regarding Kellheer’s future also presents questions regarding a back-up goalkeeper. But the two aforementioned positions are the priority.
Having signed Mac Allister and Szoboszlai already this summer, Liverpool bosses are currently taking stock as they weigh up their next moves, with outgoings perhaps more likely before they tip their toes into the incoming market once more.
There is interest in both Southampton’s Romeo Lavia and Chelsea’s Levi Colwill, though it remains to be seen whether the Reds will make a move for either player this summer. Alternatively, the arrival of Szoboszlai proves that Liverpool could always spring another surprise.
Either way, Klopp needs to assess his squad in pre-season, work out who is leaving, and fill the remaining voids accordingly.
New contract for Trent Alexander-Arnold
Admittedly not the most pressing item on the list, Alexander-Arnold’s future will become the topic of conversation at some point this season ahead of his contract expiring in 2025.
The England international last signed an extension in 2021, and Reds bosses will have no desire to see the 24-year-old enter the final year of that contract. Admittedly, it would be a surprise if the right-back flirted with the possibility of leaving, but with Liverpool often using pre-season to agree extensions, Klopp and Reds bosses could look to tie down Alexander-Arnold’s services sooner or later this summer to avoid the risk of any unnecessary uncertainty and speculation.
