Liverpool not far behind rivals, but must get it right this transfer window

A year can make all the difference in football. Liverpool supporters have experienced that reality the hard way.

12 months after the Reds nearly won the Champions League, they’ve now failed to even qualify for the tournament and must instead prepare for Europa League football for the first time since 2016. That’s the unwelcome price of a massive 25-point dip in the Premier League from their previous season’s total of 92.

Ahead of this season, Liverpool’s confidence in its squad was more than reasonable. Klopp’s players finished the previous campaign with League Cup and  F.A. Cup winners medals around their necks and missed out on the quadruple by a single Premier League point on the final day of the season and a narrow defeat in the Champions League final.

Early on last season, however, it became quite apparent that Liverpool had not strengthened properly in the summer transfer window. The Reds’ midfield struggled to establish command of matches while their backline leaked chances and goals. That proved to be a recurring theme throughout the rest of the campaign as Liverpool limped their way to their lowest ever finish in a full season under Jurgen Klopp. The club’s complacency with its squad proved costly.

Liverpool’s midfield now requires an overhaul if the Reds are to break back into the top-four next season. Jordan Henderson’s energy and work rate have been the driving forces of his side’s midfield, but the Liverpool skipper has lost a step over the past year and has struggled to facilitate his side’s high-tempo style of play. Despite Fabinho’s notable improvement towards the end of the season, his inconsistent form throughout it will further fuel Liverpool’s interest in midfield reinforcements, as will Thiago’s poor injury record and Harvey Eliot’s unconvincing performances as a more frequent selection in Klopp’s first XI.

Liverpool have reportedly set their sights on Brighton’s Alexis Mac Allister as their ideal acquisition in the middle of the park. Mac Allister’s exceptional work rate complements Klopp’s high pressing system while his creativity in front of goal offers an attribute currently lacking among Liverpool’s current midfielders. If recent reports are accurate that the Reds are nearing an agreement with both Brighton and Mac Allister for the Argentine’s move to Merseyside, he’ll represent a sizable step forward in their midfield rebuild.

However, Mac Allister cannot individually return Liverpool’s midfield to the standards it set at the height of Klopp’s reign. Bayern Munich’s Ryan Gravenberch has been linked with Liverpool in recent weeks and would make for a solid supplement to the addition of Mac Allister while multiple clubs will likely pursue Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount as he looks set to depart Stamford Bridge this summer. Though Mount has endured a poor campaign and will command a hefty price tag, the Englishman’s creativity in the final third and ability to advance his side’s attacks will be valuable qualities for whatever club secures his services this summer. He is certainly another player for Liverpool to at least consider as they pinpoint their targets this summer.

The Anfield side will need fresh faces at the back as well. Virgil Van Djik endured an uncharacteristically poor season by his standards as opponents repeatedly caught him out. Konate’s numerous injuries saw Joe Gomez and Joel Matip fill in, but neither could provide sufficient security for their goal. Gomez in particular was guilty of numerous appallingly poor and consequential errors. While Van Djik should certainly still retain his place alongside Konate as a first choice defender, Liverpool must recruit adequate cover for the pair as an injury or loss of form could derail their challenge for top-four or possibly the title.

Budget permitting, Liverpool should also weigh up further options at right-back. Trent Alexander-Arnold’s creativity and passing range have greatly contributed to his side’s quality in the final third, but his continual defensive lapses have proven a serious liability at the back. Another right back could not only offer Klopp a stronger defensive alternative, but also the flexibility to field Alexander-Arnold in the midfield, where the academy product operated from with great success in the final stretch of the season.

As poor as the Reds were throughout much of the campaign, the gap between themselves and Newcastle and Manchester United is minimal. Their triumphs home and away over Newcastle and 7-0 annihilation of United both highlight the Reds’ ability to outclass its primary competitors for a top-four spot. With a strong transfer window, it should be able to reflect its superiority head-to-head in the league table as well.

Liverpool have a busy and crucial summer ahead. The upcoming transfer window offers the club the opportunity to fortify its squad with the players necessary to once again contend at the highest level both domestically and abroad. If the Reds fail to seize that opportunity, however, they’ll only fall further behind the Premier League and Europe’s leading pack.