Liverpool’s proactive summer is under way – and they’re recruiting from a position of strength

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Since wrapping up the Premier League title last month, Liverpool have stumbled.

Three games, eight goals conceded and just a solitary point is the sum total of their efforts amid the ongoing celebrations.

The fact they still remain 12 points clear of second-placed Arsenal heading into Sunday’s final match of the season at home to FA Cup winners Crystal Palace underlines what a procession it’s been for Arne Slot’s side. It’s been party time for three weeks and still there’s no-one anywhere near them.

The drop-off in performance levels is hardly a surprise given the line-ups Slot has fielded and the fact that there’s been so little at stake.

Rather than going flat out to the end, Liverpool’s Dutch head coach has looked at the bigger picture, grasping the opportunity to give players some much-needed rest amid such a crowded calendar.

Monday night’s 3-2 defeat at Brighton & Hove Albion was the first time Liverpool have lost a league game in which they have led on two separate occasions since a 4-2 reverse to Arsenal in April 2004.

It also provided a reminder of how reliant their back line is on the talismanic presence of captain Virgil van Dijk. The Netherlands centre-back, who was an unused substitute on the south coast, had played every minute of Liverpool’s previous 69 league games, dating back to September 2023. In his absence, Alisson found himself having to pull off more saves (nine) than he’s ever made in a Premier League match.

Harvey Elliott and Dominik Szoboszlai both scored on Monday’s 3-2 loss to Brighton (Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

However, much more significant than the recent dip on the field is the sight of Liverpool acting so swiftly and decisively off it.

Last summer, supporters had to wait until late August for some transfer business to be done. There was the frustration of failing to land Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi before a deal potentially rising to £29million ($38.3m) was struck with Valencia for goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili, who will officially become a Liverpool player on July 1 after spending an extra season in Spain. That was swiftly followed by Federico Chiesa’s £12.5m move to Anfield from Juventus.

Chiesa belatedly made his first league start against Brighton but couldn’t impose himself on the contest and had just a dozen touches before being replaced by the equally ineffective Darwin Nunez just past the hour mark. It wouldn’t be a surprise if they were both plying their trade elsewhere come August.

Thrown in at the deep end following their appointments a year ago, sporting director Richard Hughes and Slot adopted an opportunistic approach in the market. The policy was largely one of sitting tight and backing the talent already at their disposal rather than taking risks, and the continuity paid off handsomely with the club’s 20th top-flight title.

However, this time around, the new regime have had plenty of time to assess exactly what’s required and how their squad needs to evolve to stay ahead of the chasing pack. They are building from a position of strength as champions and the early signs are promising.

Liverpool don’t even lift the Premier League trophy until Sunday but they have already mapped out how the future looks without Real Madrid-bound Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Jeremie Frimpong, who completed his medical on Monday after flying into the UK on Sunday, will arrive from Bayer Leverkusen after Liverpool agreed to trigger his release clause of around £30million ($40.1m).

It’s a shrewd piece of business given the relatively low fee and the first chapter of what Van Dijk recently described as “a big summer” for the club.

Liverpool first tried to sign Frimpong when he was just nine years old but he opted to join Manchester City’s academy instead because it was closer to his family home and his parents didn’t drive. He went on to play against Liverpool in the 2019 FA Youth Cup final, which the Merseyside club won on penalties.

Now 24, he possesses a wealth of experience having contributed 30 goals and 44 assists in 190 games for Bayer Leverkusen after making the move there from Celtic in January 2021.

Liverpool are aiming to complete the signing of Jeremie Frimpong, left, from Bayer Leverkusen (Carl Recine/Getty Images)

He’s got blistering pace and he’s versatile, having played at right-back, wing-back and as a right-sided attacker. That ability to play further forward could be invaluable given that Mohamed Salah is set to miss a chunk of the 2025-26 season due to the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, which starts in December.

Frimpong is also durable, having clocked up 95 appearances in all competitions for Bayer Leverkusen over the past two seasons. Questions have been asked about the defensive side of his game but Slot will back himself to help on that front given his coaching acumen and attention to detail.

“I think we can find one or two extra weapons that this team doesn’t have,“ Slot said ahead of the trip to Brighton and Frimpong certainly fits the bill. Settling in should be straightforward given his preexisting bond with international team-mates Ryan Gravenberch, Van Dijk and Cody Gakpo.

Hughes and Slot have known definitively since mid-March that Alexander-Arnold would be leaving and in truth, the direction of travel regarding discussions was clear before then. Contingency plans have long since been drawn up.

There have huge belief in academy graduate Conor Bradley, whose new four-year contract was announced on Saturday. Liverpool wanted to reward his impressive development over the past two years with improved terms.

Despite the hamstring issues he’s had this season, there’s a confidence that they can help ensure his body is able to handle the rigours of playing regular first-team football. Bradley once again showcased what he’s capable of against Brighton with the outstanding assist for Harvey Elliott’s opening goal. He’s so positive and direct.

More new faces will follow after Frimpong. Liverpool remain keen to strengthen at left-back, with Milos Kerkez high on their list of targets. However, it remains to be seen if they are willing to meet Bournemouth’s £45million valuation. Ajax’s Jorrel Hato is another attractive option and has the ability to play at centre-back too.

Liverpool have registered their interest in Bayer Leverkusen’s attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz, who is also being pursued by Bayern Munich. If he’s willing to move outside of Germany, they want to be at the front of the queue.

There’s a lot up in the air given the uncertainty surrounding some of the names on the fringes of Slot’s squad, who could leave in search of a new challenge if the right offers are forthcoming. The transfer kitty will be topped up by money from sales.

But the fact that over the past six weeks, Hughes has finalised new contracts for Salah, Van Dijk and Bradley, as well as beating off competition to secure the services of Frimpong, bodes well for what’s ahead.

Liverpool may have had a late-season wobble but there’s no resting on laurels. Slot and Hughes are already busy plotting next season’s challenge.

(Top photos: Jeremie Frimpong, left, and Arne Slot; Getty Images)

This news was originally published on this post .

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