9 highlights of Liverpool s summer window upgrade

Liverpool and Crystal Palace will compete for the Community Shield. Liverpool is the protagonist of the transfer market this summer. Although their transfer operations are still in progress, preparations for the official matches of the new season have been basically completed.

The following are 9 key points to know about Slot's new Reds built before the new season:

1. Liverpool's transfer window has not been closed yet - there are still in and out

It is not clear whether this summer window will eventually lead to more signings or more sellers. Although Liverpool's transfer movements are already quite active, there are still obvious shortcomings in the lineup - especially in terms of depth. The current core plot is the transfer rumors surrounding Isaac.

Liverpool seems to be planning not only to strengthen the front line, but also considering strengthening the defense. In terms of sales, the club has earned considerable income from early departures from Louis Dias, Quaanza, Kellech and even Arnold.

The players who may leave the team next include Elliot, Chiesa and Nunes. Why are these players? Why do you need a new central defender? We will discuss it below.

2. Mamadashvili is expected to be a goal at the Reds at the beginning of the season. Mamadashvili, who signed and leased back Valencia last summer, does have a considerable chance to become Liverpool's starting goalkeeper at the beginning of the season.

The Georgian national goal has returned to the team and replaced Alisson in the second half of the training camp due to his wife's surgery. The club allows Alisson to travel to Brazil to accompany his family.

It is not yet certain whether Alisson can reach the game when he returns to the team, which opens the door for Mamadashvili to appear in the official game earlier than expected.

3. Bradley was competitive in starting but was injured. Flynnon's joining also affected Salah's role. There was a time when it seemed that Flynnon, who spent 40 million euros to sign to replace Trent, might not start immediately.

Sources close to the club have repeatedly stated that the Dutch international may take time to adapt to fully integrate into the starting eleven. Meanwhile, Bradley has performed well in Liverpool's first three pre-season friendly matches.

Unfortunately, Bradley was injured again during training. While not serious (bruises and mild muscle problems), it is enough to require caution. Local reporters pointed out that his frequent injury history may hinder him from truly competing with new players last season, and Bradley was plagued by injuries and missed a lot of game time.

Since Flynnon is expected to start, it is worth noting that Salah's role will have slight adjustments. When paired with Flynnon, Salah tends to move closer to the middle and give up space to the wing so that the fast, aggressive fullback can charge forward, just like Flynnon did in Leverkusen's 3-4-2-1 system. Tactx account Tactx highlights this tactical change.

4. The left back is overcrowded, but the central defender is short on the left, and the team has sufficient personnel reserves: new player Kolkz has joined a lineup of Robertson and Zimikas, who are already experienced. It is reasonable to sell one of them, but so far there are no active rumors. There were some rumors in the early summer when Atletico Madrid was interested in Robertson, but the negotiations never made any progress. In fact, Robertson was even used as the left center back in the preseason with Zimikas, Endo and some youth training players.

This is because the team's central defenders are short of after Quanza was sold to Leverkusen. Among the experienced natural centrebacks, only Joe Gomez is left, who is injured again, and is expected to take 2-3 weeks to return, and his injury history is as worrying as Bradley.

This is why Liverpool are actively pursuing new centre-backs to increase depth and provide competition for Conat. The long-term goal is to find a player who will eventually replace Conate, whose contract expires in the summer of 2026, and Real Madrid is reportedly following him.

The following are the most discussed goals:

Mark Guy (Crystal Palace): England international central defender, one year left in the contract. Liverpool hopes to use this to negotiate a deal for less than €40 million. However, Crystal Palace asked for more than €50 million, which hindered progress. If a deal cannot be reached this summer, Liverpool may try again when Guy becomes a free agent next year, which will weaken Crystal Palace's negotiating status anyway.

Colins (Brentford): A backup option if Guy trades fail. Signing the 24-year-old Irishman is not easy, either, as Brentford is reluctant to sell it. Considering that Brentford spent €27 million to sign him from Wolves two years ago, the expected transfer fee is at least €35-40 million.

Leoni (Parma): An 18-year-old Italian player, considered a long-term investment. Leoni is a versatile defender and can also play right back. AC Milan is also paying attention to him.

5. Fans argue: Is it necessary to equip Heraffenberg with a full-time defensive midfielder?

Although it may sound a bit strange, especially considering the Dutch player's transformation (who was seen as more like the 8th position than the 6th position) and his outstanding performance last season, the argument is real.

Some fans and analysts pointed out the subtle flaws in Heraffenberg's defensive position, and this concern has been exacerbated in the preseason. Although some people advocate signing another player, some are sharing a collection of highlights of the Dutchman's wonderful performance.

The general consensus among fans is that even if it is not a starter, at least a new defensive midfielder is needed to rotate. Endo Kazuki is no longer seen as a reliable option, nor is Stevenson, a 21-year-old who earns playing time in preseason. Baichetic will be out of the lease again, this time it's Celtic. Nioni, 18, also needs to gain muscle to meet Premier League standards (in addition, he is being tested as a central defender).

By the way, Herafenberg will miss the first round of the Premier League due to suspension. To sum up the last two points: Liverpool's recent actions in the market are completely reasonable.

6. Wilz joins + Garkepo's preseason is outstanding, and Sobosloy or McAllister may lose the starter

Among the next five attacking midfielders and forward positions, there is currently only two starters. The first one is of course right winger Salah. The second place is Wilz, who signed with a record price.

Before the preseason, Wilz's ideal position is not yet clear. But it's clear now: Slott sees him as a classic No. 10 player, active behind the front line, which is also his most common position throughout the preseason.

Slott said: "He was very creative in the offensive third zone. With Trent (Arnold) leaving, we lost creativity from the backcourt, and his crosses and straight passes were crucial. I think Flo (Wilz) has the same trait, despite the different positions. He brought creativity anyway."

At first, it was considered to have Wilz in a hybrid role on the left side. However, Garkepo performed extremely well in this position in the preseason.

Therefore, if Wilz starts to play in the middle and Garkepo plays in the left, then Sobosloy or McAllister will become "the one who is sacrificed." It can be said that the debate among fans on this issue is more intense than whether to sign a new defensive midfielder.

After Liverpool's latest friendly match, fans praised Sobosloy's performance as the No. 8 position. This Is Anfield even published a feature article for this. The key arguments that support him are: work commitment, vitality, and most importantly, his physical ability to fight. The last point is crucial, as many people think McAllister and Wilz's midfield combination is too "thin".

However, McAllister performed amazingly last season and seemed highly regarded by Slott. This is a really dilemma. Maybe it can be solved by a lineup that Slott hasn't tried in the preseason: Garkepo's substitute, Wilz plays on the wing, Sobosloy plays 10th, McAllister returns to his familiar position.

One of the things is certain, under such a configuration, the substitute players will play less time. That's why Elliot, who can also play on the wing, is preparing for a transfer. His next home is RB Leipzig, who is preparing to start negotiations with Liverpool. Curtis Jones, on the other hand, will stay, expected to be the third option for any midfield position.

7. Ekitic may be on the bench for a season - this was originally part of the plan. This essentially answers the question: "What if Liverpool really signed Isaac?" Insiders made it clear that Ekitic's transfer (although the transfer fee is as high as 95 million euros) is a long-term investment. The club intends to gradually integrate the 23-year-old and will not put too high expectations on him.

If Liverpool successfully signs Isaac from Newcastle, Ekitic will likely serve as the backup for the Swedish striker. Interestingly, many fans noticed the stylistic similarities between the two strikers.

Having two strikers of this level is a luxury, and Slot can rotate them around 60-70 minutes to maintain intensity. There is also an alternative that was tested in the preseason part: let Ekitic play on the wing. In this case, Garkebo's position may be at risk. But again, this only happens on the premise of successfully signing Isaac.

8. There are still hidden concerns about the depth of the offensive, but the Red Army's youth training is worth looking forward to

Luis Dias has joined Bayern, Nunes is close to completing the transfer to Riyadh Crescent, and Chiesa is also seeking a transfer. Without Isaac, Liverpool's bench would lack experience or star-level options. Even with him, only Ekitic or Garkebo can count as such choices.

Therefore, the club faces the choice: return to the transfer market, or trust young players. The two outstanding new stars are:

Ben Dock: Returning from Middlesbrough on loan. It was originally planned to sell, but his strong preseason performance and delays in other deals convinced the club to keep him. In fact, Liverpool recently rejected Wolves' offer of more than €20 million.

Leo Ngumoha: The real shining new star in the preseason. At the age of 16, he performed so well that many people are now eagerly looking forward to his Premier League debut. He looks like a real talented teenager.

Romano also reported on Liverpool's interest in Paris Saint-Germain's Barcola, but the club eventually chose to give up to avoid blocking Leo's path into the first team.

Therefore, here is a rough picture of Liverpool's current offensive depth:

9. The biggest worry in preseason - vulnerability in transition attacks

This problem stems from two factors: the addition of more attackers (such as Wiltz) in the midfield, and Slot's pursuit of a more aggressive system.

Analysts in the British media pointed out that Liverpool plays more liquidly when holding the ball. The key tactical idea is to form a triangle coordination on the wing and maintain two players in the middle.

When Liverpool possesses the ball, this usually leads to a 2-3-5 formation:

, but such an aggressive arrangement exposes the team to danger when losing the ball, especially when facing teams with fast counterattack ability. AC Milan has this ability and has caused real trouble. Some people think there is no need to panic now. Once the physical condition improves, the team will return to the space faster and the pressure will be more effective.. But anyway, the game against Milan is a warning.