Liverpool left it until the final day to clinch Champions League qualification and focus now shifts to what promises to be a crucial summer window. The Reds splashed the cash last summer but further spending may well be required.
Arne Slot endured a difficult second campaign in the dugout and the pressure is firmly on the club’s decision-makers to make the right calls in the transfer market. The 2024/25 Premier League champions’ defence of their title fell well short of what many supporters had hoped for and – despite some mitigating circumstances – much better returns will be needed.
We already know Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson won’t be at Anfield next term, with the Premier League and Champions League winning pair given an emotional farewell on Sunday. Further departures could follow, though finding a replacement for Salah is expected to sit at the very top of the club’s agenda.
So, what could this summer hold for Liverpool? A number of areas could require attention but for now we’re focusing on the attack.
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One name that has consistently shown up in Liverpool gossip columns is that of Yan Diomande. The Ivorian winger has impressed greatly in his debut campaign with RB Leipzig, racking up 12 goals and nine assists across 33 Bundesliga outings.
Leipzig’s Champions League qualification should hand them some leverage in negotiations, while reported interest from the likes of Bayern Munich and PSG could keep the asking price high. The German club are holding out for £87m, a figure unlikely to budge should he impress at the World Cup, where Cote d’Ivoire have been drawn alongside Germany, Curacao and Ecuador.
There are other options in the frame, naturally. Among them is Jarrod Bowen, who could be snapped up at a discount after he suffered relegation with West Ham on Sunday.
Bowen shares a broadly similar profile to Salah as a wide forward capable of posing a goal threat from the right or more centrally. He is, however, 10 years older than Diomande, something that would likely be reflected in both the asking price this summer and any potential resale value.
View 3 ImagesA new addition out wide could be good news for Alexander Isak(Image: Gareth Copley, Getty Images)
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Landing a player of Diomande’s goalscoring and creative qualities ought to be a welcome boost for Alexander Isak. It’s fair to say the £125m Swede fell short of expectations in his debut campaign following a club-record transfer, though a full pre-season should do him the world of good.
With Hugo Ekitike not expected to return from injury until at least a few months into the season, there’s a strong case for building an attack tailored to Isak’s qualities as a goal threat. The pressing question now is who will be lining up alongside him.
Rio Ngumoha may not turn 18 until August, yet he has already started staking a claim to feature regularly on the left, or at the very least share duties more frequently with Cody Gakpo than he did this season. The youngster is set to link up with England’s pre-World Cup training camp – albeit not as a full squad member – and the extra exposure can give him something to build on.
View 3 ImagesRio Ngumoha could have an even bigger part to play next term(Image: Liverpool FC, Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
All of this would allow Florian Wirtz to function as a playmaker just behind Isak as Liverpool aim to make the most of their attacking options. Reinforcements may well be required behind him, though, and not solely in the shape of incoming centre-back Jeremy Jacquet.
There could also be scope to move on those who find themselves on the fringes of first-team action, particularly if decent fees can be secured for the likes of Harvey Elliott and Federico Chiesa. A case could even be made for entertaining bids for Gakpo, with Ngumoha rapidly pressing his claim for a more prominent role.
That would call for another addition on the left flank to push the youngster, with Hoffenheim’s Bazoumana Toure and Paris Saint-Germain’s Bradley Barcola among the names touted as potential targets. Tentative links have also emerged with Sporting CP’s Francisco Trincao — who previously spent a season in the Premier League with Wolves — the Portugal international also capable of sharing the number 10 role with Wirtz.
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Liverpool’s dream attack for next season: Ngumoha, Wirtz, Diomande; Isak.
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