It’s been a summer of change at Anfield, with the appointment of Liverpool’s first head coach, Arne Slot, and a revamped senior hierarchy led by Michael Edwards — back on board as CEO of football for owner Fenway Sport Group (FSG) two years after leaving his role as the club’s sporting director — and Richard Hughes, who now has Edwards’ old job.
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After nine seasons with Jurgen Klopp as manager, it is a step into a new — and uncertain — world for squad and supporters alike.
Nobody knows how well or badly this is going to go, but on the pitch at least there is a sense of optimism ahead of Saturday’s season-opener away against promoted Ipswich Town.
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The summer and pre-season have been…
On the pitch, everything has been encouraging.
The players seem to enjoy Slot’s new style and results and performances in the warm-up games have been trending in the right direction, with the tactics and system implemented quickly. The only downside has been the lack of training time for a number of his senior players who returned to pre-season late because of their involvement in international tournaments with their countries.
Off the pitch, however, it has been less encouraging.
Liverpool are the only club in the Premier League yet to make a new signing in this summer window and the contract situations of key players Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold, all now into the final year of their deals, remain unresolved.
The club have jumped into the relative unknown. A promising pre-season offers hope of a positive first year under Slot — but it is impossible to have any certainty about its outcome.
GO DEEPERWhat it's like to play for Arne Slot: 'Liverpool's squad will be amazed'Are they in a better place than they were when last season finished?
Klopp, one of the best managers in the world, is no longer in charge, so the obvious answer to that is no.
In truth, however, it is difficult to know. Everybody is feeling better compared to the sour end to last season, when Liverpool struggled in its final two months — sliding out of the title race, FA Cup and Europa League as another quadruple dream fell apart.
But while the squad hasn’t changed since then, the arrival of Slot and his backroom staff means everyone has been able to hit the reset button and had the chance to learn from last season’s disappointment. There has been a freshness and positivity during pre-season, which has featured victories over Arsenal and Manchester United as well as Spain’s Sevilla.
It remains to be seen if Slot can fill Klopp’s very big shoes, but the Dutchman has not looked overawed.
Which player are you most looking forward to watching?
There are several exciting players in this Liverpool squad. Given his contract status, this may be Salah’s eighth and last season at Anfield, so fans should enjoy him and his brilliance, possibly for one final time.
He’s 32 now but has looked sharp in pre-season after a tournament-free summer and he will be keen to bounce back from a disappointing end to last season, when questions were asked as to whether he was still capable of being Liverpool’s match-winner.
Salah seems to have fitted seamlessly into Slot’s system and will be looking to make it eight seasons in a row where he has scored 20-plus goals for Liverpool across all competitions.
The player with a point to prove…
Love him or hate him, Darwin Nunez has proven to be box-office in a Liverpool shirt. Yet his lack of consistency remains a big issue.
He ended last season poorly, scoring only once in 13 appearances — and even that goal was fortunate, the ball rebounding off him into the net after being kicked at him by Sheffield United goalkeeper Ivo Grbic. Nunez cut a frustrated figure and patience began to wear thin among some of the club’s supporters.
Nunez has been flying for Uruguay… but not Liverpool (Charly Triballeau/AFP via Getty Images)
Slot has been tasked with getting the best out of the 25-year-old Uruguay international. The pair spoke while Nunez was away at the Copa America in the United States, with his new head coach outlining how important he is to his plans, but the reality is that this is a big season for Nunez. How he performs is likely to decide whether his long-term future is with Liverpool.
Which player could have a breakout season?
Harvey Elliott made significant steps last term, becoming Liverpool’s supersub, and that development has continued in pre-season, where he was one of the standout performers on the club’s three-match U.S. tour. Slot’s system looks more suited to the 21-year-old’s skill set as he has flourished in the No 10 role, picking up pockets of space and being a constant source of creativity.
Elliott knows he must add more goal contributions and he will face stiff competition from Dominik Szoboszlai for that role. But if he carries his form from pre-season into the games that matter, he will be tough for Slot to leave out.
Elliott could have a big season in the new system Slot plays (Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images)
The deal they still need to do before the end of the window…
Well, any incoming transfer would be nice, right?
Slot wanted to assess the squad he was inheriting, but had to wait for the returning internationals before making any decisions. There was finally movement when they thought they had their man in Real Sociedad’s Spain international Martin Zubimendi.
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After a change of heart, the 25-year-old midfielder decided to stay put at his La Liga club, meaning Liverpool missed out on another No 6 option – the area Slot has prioritised strengthening.
Liverpool have considered bolstering their options at centre-back and wide midfield, but as they enter the season no upgrades have been made. They are also exploring a potential deal for Spanish side Valencia’s 23-year-old goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili, but that is a signing with an eye on the long-term rather than the here and now.
Which European Championship or Copa America player would be an ideal signing?
Martin Zubimendi
Everybody would love Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal, of course, but the 17-year-old’s Spain team-mate Nico Williams, of Athletic Bilbao, showcased all of his talents on the big stage too, and the 22-year-old looks perfectly suited to what Slot wants from his wingers: quick, direct, creative, deadly in one-v-ones and able to finish.
Meanwhile, Liverpool were evidently impressed by Mamardashvili’s performances at the Euros for Georgia.
And maybe Anfield’s executives should consider asking to hire Marcelo Bielsa as a part-time striker consultant, given the Uruguay manager seems to know how to get the best out of Nunez…
The game I’m most looking forward to is…
Liverpool vs Crystal Palace; Sunday, May 25 — the day they lift the Premier League champions’ trophy at Anfield, this time in a packed stadium, not an empty one, like in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic…
Yes, you’re right. I’m getting ahead of myself.
I’m still having nightmares about those two away games against Manchester United in March and April, but a win back at Old Trafford on September 1 could signal lift-off for the Slot era.
I’ll still be watching it from behind my sofa, though…
The stat to watch out for this season
Points won from losing positions in 2023-24 — a Premier League-best 28.
While comebacks are exciting and great fun, it is an unsustainable winning method, as Liverpool found out at the end of last season. In the final few years under Klopp, his side made a habit of conceding first in matches. Liverpool kept 10 clean sheets in the Premier League last season, but only three came in 2024.
Slot must address those slow starts.
How likely is the head coach to survive the season?
Things would have to go very wrong for Slot to be under pressure this season. After an extensive process, he was hand-picked to lead Liverpool into a new era. There is pressure to succeed because of the quality of the squad he is inheriting, but he has spoken confidently about improving on last season and will be given time.
What is their best XI as things stand?
Does Slot know that himself yet? Probably, although he left everybody guessing with his team selections for the double-header against Sevilla and their fellow Spaniards Las Palmas at Anfield on Sunday.
Midfield is where his biggest dilemmas lie.
Ryan Gravenberch is in pole position to begin the season in the No 6 role, but Alexis Mac Allister or Curtis Jones could be picked as the No 8 — and the same goes for Szoboszlai and Elliott at No 10.
(Top photos: Getty Images)
Andrew Jones is a Staff Writer for The Athletic covering Burnley FC and Liverpool FC. Having graduated from the University of Central Lancashire with a First Class Honours Degree in Sports Journalism, Andrew has had written work published for the Liverpool Echo, Chelsea FC and Preston North End. Follow Andy on Twitter @adjones_journo
