As we wind down the 2024 / 2025 fantastic season. These last few games are important, to a degree. To get a feel for who may be here next season and who may not be. Here's a look at my thoughts on the subject. Core players (13) (I'm not expecting them to go anywhere) GK = 3 / 3 Alisson Becker. There's some talk he may be headed out, but I just can't see it. With Mamardashvili signed last summer, the thought was perhaps you'd see Kelleher and Giorgi battle it out, competitively, and that Alisson just couldn't stay health and that he was the one that would go. But Alisson proved himself over and over again. He's the #1 and if there's any injury to him, you have a capable backup behind him. Ally is signed thru two more seasons. Giorgi Mamardashvili. He is the heir apparent. The next alpha, once Alisson hangs it up. He's proven himself this last season again. He's been a solid investment. Vitezslav Jaros. Barely used 3rd GK. He's signed thru 2026. D = 4 / 7 Virgil Van Dyk. Signed now thru 6/30/27. Captain of the team. The foundation of the defense, he and Allison. Where would we be without them. Conor Bradley. Expected to be at least in the running as the next starting right back. Will he be challenged for that spot? Or do they just give it to him now that Trent has gone? Only signed thru 2027. Andrew Robertson. Signed for one more year. I think it will be him that stays over Tskimikas. We'll need his veteran leadership to see this transition thru. Ibrahima Konate. He is only signed for one more year, so it's imperative that we avoid another Trent saga and get him signed this summer. Or else, he should be sold. We can't be giving any more players away on a free. MF = 3 / 7 Ryan Gravenberch - what a player he has turned out to be. For the first of this season, he was mostly dominant and our best midfielder. He wore down during the stretch run a little bit. But he's only 22, turning 23 in a couple of weeks. And now that he's proven he can do it, I'm expecting him to take that next step in his career. Signed thru 2028. Alexis Mac Allister - the most underrated player in the league. He should be the next vice captain. So critical to everything we do. Two way player. Offensive player. He can do it all. And I'm thankful he's signed thru 2028 and not going anywhere! Turns 27 later this year. Dominik Szoboszlai - Has an amazing work rate. These three midfielders, from a group positional standpoint, the reason why we won the league this season. The heart and sould of the team. True, Szobo struggled at times offensively. He wore down a little as well. But he's only 24. I think the retooling that Klopp oversaw before he left with this group of midfielders was massive. F = 3 / 6 Mo Salah - He's the big star on the team. Now that he's signed for 2 more seasons, I just hope that Slot can bring his game time down a little to preserve him longer thru the season. Like most older players, you can be the healthiest of your life, but as you age, the season will wear on you more than a younger player. Slot has not been willing to reduce his work load. Luis Diaz - I don't see him going anywhere. he's the best forward on our team from a one on one stand point. Even better than Mo. He's got 2 years left on his contract. There's been talk he could be leaving. He's 28. So his contract runs thru his 30th birthday. Cody Gakpo - Signed thru 2028, he's turning 26 tomorrow actually! I think he's a very important piece to this transitional phase. You'll notice that's only 13 players!! We'll end up rostering between 23 and 25 players depending on the homegrown numbers. The summer will play a role in filling out a couple of spots too. But I'm breaking this down by Core vs Bubble vs Out, so you can see the changes needed this transfer window and how many new players could potentially be signing, insane for a team that just won the premier league. Bubble players (7) - on the bubble... I'll give a # out of 10 in terms of them leaving or not. Kostas Tsimikas - I think it's 8/10 that he goes. To be a full time starter at Left Back, he's just not dependable enough on a defensive ability standpoint. Great crosser of the ball. Great teammate. Two more seasons he's signed for and he's 28. We're going to be upgrading at left back, so one of he or Andy doesn't stay. My guess is that it's the Greek Scouse on our team. Wataru Endo - 8/10 he goes. probably deserves more playing time than he's getting. It's a testament to the players we have ahead of him. He's got 2 more seasons left. Such a great squad player though for us, this season especially. Tyler Morton - 5/10. I hesitate mentioning him because he's barely played or been named on the bench even. Only 22. He could be used to fill a homegrown spot (same for James McConnell) Curtis Jones - 6/10. Tough call here. Personally, I don't like him as a fit for us. I don't know what he is, honestly. He's not a forward. He's not really a midfielder. He doesn't possess the ball in his own half well enough for me. And when he does manage to get forward, too often is he looking to pull the ball back. His work rate is not good enough. Not compared to Szobo. He's a local player, so this is a tough call because of that. Harvey Elliott - 3/10. I think the odds are likely that he stays. But there are teams interested in adding him. He's young enough and has two years left. He's more dynamic than Jones. And I don't think we end up moving both Jones and Elliott. One of them will stay, and my money is on Elliott. Federico Chiesa - 7/10. He's signed thru 2029, which is worth mentioning. Barely used in the PL this season (just got his 5th app this past weekend, so he can get a medal now!). Slot talked about how this season was such a transition for him, in terms of his body and how its different, the rigors of the league vs where he came from. He's a quality player. I still believe that. But he needs a run of form. And I don't know where that opportunity will come from. Diogo Jota - 5/10. Two years left for our # 20. One of the better songs in recent memory. I'll be sad to see him go. It might happen this summer. Really on the fence with this one. Has such a hard time staying healthy. But since the beginning of January, he's been very quiet, even though he's started most of the games. Really struggling. Out (4) - I've already made up my mind that these players won't be back. Caoimhin Kelleher - he deserves to start. He's been immense as a 2nd goalie. Wish him nothing but the best. But he's only got one season left on his contract, and you know how that goes. I think when we signed Giorgi, we didn't expect Alisson to have as great of a season as he's had. We thought he'd miss time and it would be him that could be leaving. But you can't make that move now. I just hope Kelleher doesn't go to a rival team. You should get at least 30m for him. Joe Gomez - Signed for 2 more seasons. A bit of a jack of all trades as a defender. So he'll be missed from that standpoint. If Slot had switched to a back 3, he would have been a perfect fit (like Kyle Walker at Man City). His speed is superb. But he has a major problem staying healthy. I reckon you can get 25m for him Jarell Quansah - Ugh. I am probably wrong on this. He can play so well for 85 minutes, and then totally screw up at the end of the game (see the last match vs Chelsea). SO there's a chance he stays, given his age (22) and contract term remaining (4 years!). But I think you can get 30m for him. The homegrown thing makes this a tougher call. Darwin Nunez - well, what can you say? turning 26 next month. 3 more years left on his contract. He'll net a nice return from some Saudi team potentiallly... close to 80m? That's hard to say no to at this stage. Such a polarizing figure. It's all in his head though. He has the talent. Just a broken player. For the sake of argument, if we assume 3 out 4 of these players are moved and 2 out of the 7 bubble players are moved... that's 5 players plus Trent leaving is now 6 players that will need replacing. What positions are we definitely adding? what traits are we looking for? For me, the six potential signings need to be these positions... Left Back / Right Back / 3rd Central Defender / Midfielder / Speedy Winger / a True #9 If that happens in one summer, I'll be doing cartwheels! For this team, it's unlikely that we'll do all that business in one offseason. I hope we do. I like that we're linked with Kerkez. He'd be a great fit. As would Huijsen. I could see him being the heir apparent to Virgil. You definitely need speed on the flanks and on the breakaway. We haven't had enough of that this season. We're not a perfect team, but we did win the league. So for ownership, it's going to be hard convincing them to spend the resources necessary to take the next step. But this is a very important summer window as I think we're a team in transition, sort of retooling. Do the right things and you could build a dynasty here again. Screw it up, and you won't win any hardware for several years. One thing is for sure, this will be an exciting window!
A 53 year old guy drove into the crowd during the parade, thankfully no-one killed but 11 people injured. He's been arrested under suspicion of attempted murder and being under the influence of drugs. Video link of the incident below. The police probably saved him from being dragged from his car and beaten to death tbh https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/c4grq15y6yeo
Two years ago the way that off season went for a couple of months I would never have thought we’d be here. But we landed 3 exceptional midfielders. And Just a beautiful two years in so many ways. The final season of Juergen with an incredible goodbye tribute and an unimaginably perfect replacement in Slot. And for the greatest fans in the world. Those scenes at Anfield on the day they clinched and then in the final day are just priceless. To clinch the greatest trophy and celebrate before your own fans. Unreal. Also love this:
The Signing of Florian Wirtz is so Huge. Both he and Frimpong coming in will make the loss of TAA seem non-existent. We already have 3 solid MFs in Mac Allister, Szoboszlai and Gravenberch. Wirtz can play wing, false 9, the 10 spot. With Frimpong replacing TAA there will be so much attacking ability. And that comment on his connection with Frimpong is huge (especially as Frim is Dutch to go with 3 other Dutch players on the squad). Wirtz's adaptation to life on Merseyside will also be made easier by the presence of good friend and former Leverkusen teammate Frimpong. With Frimpong charging forward from right back, the pair have delivered a combined 111 goal contributions for Leverkusen over the past two seasons, and that sense of familiarity could be key to helping both players feel at home both on and off the pitch. "Florian and Jerry are both jokers," Houston says. "They're good mates so I think that'll help him hugely in terms of settling in. I'd say that probably influenced his decision quite heavily. This is the full article from ESPN: https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_...rpool-spent-big-sign-leverkusen-florian-wirtz Even Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso couldn't believe it. After watching Florian Wirtzdance through a crowd of SC Freiburg defenders in October 2023 to give his side a precious lead on their way to the Bundesliga title, the former Spain international simply raised his eyebrows on the touchline. It was a quiet acknowledgment of Wirtz's brilliance, and Alonso's sentiments were echoed after the match by Freiburg coach Christian Streich, who simply claimed: "You can't defend against Florian Wirtz." That hypothesis will be tested more rigorously than ever before next season following Wirtz's £100 million move (plus £16m in add-ons) from Leverkusen to Liverpool. The 22-year-old playmaker has become Arne Slot's second arrival of the summer, after the £30m signing of his teammate Jeremie Frimpong, with Liverpool obliterating their own transfer record (the £75m paid to sign defender Virgil van Dijk from Southampton in January 2018), but not quite breaking the British transfer record (Chelsea's £106.8m signing of Enzo Fernández). On paper, Wirtz is arguably the most exciting signing in world football this summer. Having enjoyed a meteoric rise at Leverkusen, the Germany international is already regarded as one of Europe's most prodigious talents and, in joining the Premier League champions, he has secured a huge platform on which to showcase his abilities. It is also a move that has caught many by surprise, with Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich or LaLiga giants Real Madrid (after they hired Alonso) viewed as Wirtz's most likely destination. However, a source told ESPN that Slot's vision proved the compelling factor in the player's decision to move to Merseyside. Wirtz was identified as the man to take the Dutchman's Liverpool project to the next level. So here is everything you need to know. 'A real spark and joy about him' Werder Bremen, told the official Bundesliga website in 2023. "Even just the way he looked at the ball. The fact is that he has a lot of talent, but he's also done a lot [in terms of working] on it. Early on, from when he was really young, you could tell that boy would have something to do with football." Indeed, Wirtz's talent and application soon earned him a move to FC Cologne, where he spent more than a decade in the club's academy before joining Leverkusen in 2020. It was during his time at the BayArena that the midfielder established himself as one of the Bundesliga's brightest stars, registering 57 goals and 65 assists in 197 club appearances. After recovering from an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury sustained in 2022, Wirtz evolved into Leverkusen's creative fulcrum under Alonso, starring as the club defied the odds to clinch its first-ever league title, even going unbeaten, in 2023-24, as well as winning the DFB-Pokal and reaching the UEFA Europa League final, where the team ultimately lost out to Atalanta. "When you play with Wirtz, you notice the difference," Leverkusen fan Gareth Houston tells ESPN. "There's just that little bit of spark missing when he's not there. We have other very talented players in the attacking positions, but there's no one who can replace his quality. There were so many times when he'd just pick up the ball and do something incredibly special and you thought 'you can't replace that.' For me, he's been the standout player. "He's got a reputation in Germany as being a little bit similar to someone like [Chelseaforward] Cole Palmer in the sense that he's very carefree; he's very chill, he's very happy. He just loves playing football: there's a real spark and joy about him that you don't see with many players, and he expresses that on the pitch." Wirtz has also developed into a key fixture in Julian Nagelsmann's Germany side, having made his debut for the national team under Joachin Low in September 2021. He has already won 29 senior caps and has shown he has an eye for the big occasion, scoring an equalizer against Spain in the quarterfinals of last summer's European Championship. "Florian is just a huge asset with his carefree nature," Barcelona boss Hansi Flick, who managed Germany from 2021-22, said of his former player. "He's simply an outstanding technician, loves to play, is very creative, has a good shot, runs hard and is quick. He's the full package." The defining attacking footballer for the next decade? Considering Liverpool won the Premier League title at a canter -- ultimately finishing 10 points clear of second-placed Arsenal, clinching in late-April -- Slot's squad are not in need of major surgery this summer. However, despite dominating domestically, the Reds' Champions League exit to Paris Saint-Germain in the round of 16 laid bare some of the team's deficiencies, hinting at a need for more pace, guile and firepower. "I think we can find one or two extra weapons this team doesn't have," Slot said in May. "Maybe, maybe, by using the transfer market. That is what we are trying to achieve. That will make us only stronger." Certainly, Wirtz would be a potent attacking weapon for any team in world football, and his unique skill set should provide Slot with the extra flair he has been craving. "Wirtz is arguably one of the best out-and-out attacking playmakers in the world right now," former scout Tor-Kristian Karlsen tells ESPN. "It's no surprise he's been courted by the biggest clubs in world football. He's likely to be the defining attacking footballer for the next decade." Stream on ESPN+ (U.S. only). At Leverkusen, Wirtz often lined up as a central attacking midfielder, or a No.10, operating behind a center forward. It remains to be seen whether he will be used in a similar fashion by Slot, or whether he will be deployed in a more advanced position, either on the left wing or as a false No. 9. Wherever he plays, he will likely be tasked with becoming Liverpool's most creative force, and his numbers certainly suggest he has all the ingredients to fulfil that demand. Since the start of the 2023-24 season, only Mohamed Salah (28) has more assists in Europe's Big Five leagues than Wirtz (23). According to Opta, Wirtz ranked eighth for progressive passes in the Bundesliga last season (155) and fashioned 2.1 chances from open play per 90 minutes in the Bundesliga (minimum of 1,000 minutes) -- more than any of his Leverkusen teammates and only slightly less than Salah for Liverpool (2.3). It is also hoped that Wirtz can help Slot's side replace the ingenuity of right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold, who regularly helped the Reds to unlock stubborn defenses before he joined Real Madrid in June. Last season, Wirtz created 2.1 chances from open play per 90 minutes compared to Alexander-Arnold's 1.6, while Liverpool's new signing also surpassed the England international in terms of expected assists per 90 (0.36 to 0.28). Perhaps most crucially of all, though, Wirtz showed a willingness to put in the hard yards for his team during his time at Leverkusen. He averaged 1.25 high turnovers per 90 minutes in all competitions in 2024-25; the most among all Bundesliga players (minimum 1,500 minutes played). His impressive work rate will stand him in good stead at Anfield. Expert view Karlsen examines what makes Wirtz so special. Equipped with brilliant technical skills, Wirtz possesses an incredible ability to spot a run from a teammate and pick the right pass. Operating in the attacking pockets of space masterfully, he's able to create chances single-handedly and often takes on defenders successfully. This is especially evident when he's able to turn quickly with the ball and suddenly up the tempo of a move. Indeed, only Arsenal's Martin Ødegaard (or a peak Kevin De Bruyne) can rival Wirtz for spontaneous, game-changing actions from central attacking areas. Averaging just short of 70 passes per 90 minutes, the youngster is highly active in the build-up and is always looking for favorable positions to receive the ball. He is also a remarkable finisher. The majority of his goals tend to come from just inside the box (centrally), often executed after carefully picking his spot and applying the right pace on the ball with his shooting technique. A world-class player with Ballon d'Or potential With such an impressive body of work already behind him, it is no surprise that Wirtz was linked with many of Europe's top clubs before ultimately settling on a move to Anfield. "Flo is one of the top players in the world," Alonso said in a Leverkusen news conference last month. "He is world class. Flo has a very mature mind. The people around him, his parents, they want the best for him. They are in a very important moment of his career." That Wirtz has chosen to make the leap to the Premier League rather than remaining in his homeland is reflective of his eagerness to expand his horizons. His family, as has become custom, have helped to guide his decision and their support will be needed to ensure a seamless transition to English football. "[The transfer fee] is an extra pressure that the player has arriving to Liverpool, a team who already won the Premier League last season," former Liverpool midfielder Luis Garcia told the ESPN FC show. "People will be expecting him to put his talent on the table straight away, but when you see him play, my feeling is that he doesn't feel that pressure. When he's on the ball, he's got the ability to stop time, to stop the moment and have the composure to decide well ... to make the pass, to take the shot. He's got that ability because he's special. He's so calm, he's so cold in the moments that he needs to be." Wirtz's adaptation to life on Merseyside will also be made easier by the presence of good friend and former Leverkusen teammate Frimpong. With Frimpong charging forward from right back, the pair have delivered a combined 111 goal contributions for Leverkusen over the past two seasons, and that sense of familiarity could be key to helping both players feel at home both on and off the pitch. "Florian and Jerry are both jokers," Houston says. "They're good mates so I think that'll help him hugely in terms of settling in. I'd say that probably influenced his decision quite heavily. "Florian gets free reign at Leverkusen and I've been told that one of the things that tempted him to Liverpool is that they're going to build the team around him. He's not a No. 10, he's not a winger, he's just Florian Wirtz. There's nothing he can't do and if you give him that freedom, he just expresses himself. "If he can stay injury-free and keep grounded then the sky's the limit. At a team like Liverpool, he could do very well. I think he's got Ballon d'Or potential."
EXPECT THE WIRTZ! (i like this but I'm not sure it will stick as a phrase....) yeah i haven't read that full article yet, but I've seen all the highlights on YT . Getting Wirtz is a major coup for LFC and Hughes. He can play multiple positions. He's very hard to defend with the ball. For us LFC fans, he's a mix of Jota and Coutinho already and he's only 22. From an expectation standpoint, he's the biggest signing since Alisson and Virgil. And hopefully he can have that big of an impact. So it will be interesting to see how he starts out with us and what type of formation we end up with. This transfer window has been fantastic so far. With Kerkez and Frimpong, now with Wirtz... there's some flexibility in attack. Certainly some much needed pace coming in. I still think we need one more speedy player in attack, so we'll see who ends up leaving and how they are replaced. Lots of talk of Guehi coming in. Where does that leave the situation with Konate heading into his final year? It's a shuffle with Virgil now on a two year contract, Konate only one year left and Guehi wanting playing time. I could see this type of formation tried out... a 3-4-1-2... Gakpo / Salah Wirtz Kerkez / MacAllister / Gravenberch / Frimpong Guehi / Virgil / Konate The issue with that is Konate and his skill set playing on the "outside" of a back three... Guehi can totally do it. A player like Gomez could totally do it. I think Bradley could maybe do it, he'd need to bulk up a bit. But with Kerkez and Primpong pushed up as wingers, think of the options in attack. it's essentially a 3-4-3 with Wirtz just dropping back as that false 9. Think of the options he'd have with the ball at his feet. You've got Kerkez and Frimpong's pace overlapping with Gakpo and Salah. That is quite the attack. Of course the 4-3-3 is still an option as the default from last season. but the above is maybe a way of getting Guehi on alongside both Virgil and Konate.
Tragic news this morning, as Diogo Jota has died in a car accident in Spain. His brother also died in the crash, which was due to a blowout according to news reports. Only just got married 2 weeks ago too to the mother of 3 of his children. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cr4we9z2l42o
So awful about Diogo Jota. Just heartbreaking. Beloved player. I’m so sad for his family, friends and teammates. May he rest in peace.
More details on what happened to Jota. Apparently a minor offseason surgery meant, on the advice of his doctors, he wasn't flying and instead travelling by road and sea. He was on his way back to preseason training from Portugal when the accident happened. He'd also travelled to Porto by sea and road for his wedding. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c24vzem6r40o
Such terrible news. So hard to process it. To think what his poor family is going thru. It's simply heartbreaking. And to read he was driving back (thanks Claymore) to training instead of flying due to offseason surgery, man... when it's your time, it's your time. You look at the picture of the scene... the guard rails are there but it appears when the car's tire blew out, the guard rails are further to the middle of the highway. You don't know how fast the car was going. Apparently it was a Lamborghini. And they said he was passing another car. So hard to understand the specifics. I will sing his song the rest of my life, that much I know. Never forgotten.
