Coach Arne Slot spent most of the pre-season assessing the existing squad and was a little slow to make moves in the transfer market.
Nevertheless, he was proactive towards the end of the season, as he came close to signing Real Sociedad’s Spanish midfielder Martin Zubimendi.
Finally, the club succeeded in bringing Georgian goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili and Italian international Federico Chiesa to Anfield. The former will remain at Valencia this season, while the latter is training to regain his prime condition.
The midfield structure has also been tweaked, with the Dutchman’s command converting Dutch midfielder Ryan Gravenberch after failing to land Zubimendi He has played well from the opening game of the Premier League season and is now an integral part of the team.
Liverpool are top of the domestic league table and continue to perform well, but club alumnus Jamie Carragher insists that reinforcements should be made in January 2025 He argued that the club should make another attempt at the Spanish midfielder, whom head coach Slot wants.
“If I was Liverpool I would be doing that (strengthening in January),”
“I was thinking about this – if you are Arne Slot and let’s say an average Premier League manager is at a top club for two or three years trying to win the league.”
“Arteta has been there for four or five years. You are trying to build something. He might never be in this position again in terms of being nine points clear of Arsenal and five clear of City.”
“There’s a long way to go, I get that, but we know Liverpool don’t do silly things in the transfer market but if there is something there right now. Do it.”
“Zubimendi is the player he wanted, they ended up putting Gravenberch there who has been fantastic, but if he is the player you want – go and do it – you might never be in this position.”
“You might be here three years but City are City and they are five points ahead of you at Christmas. Just make it count.”
The Overlap’s Stick to Football