As the January transfer window approaches its close, Arne Slot’s Liverpool seem well-placed to challenge for major honors this season, but the Dutchman will want his imprint on this squad sooner or later for the long-term as well.
Here are some players who could shape Slot’s tenure in the following seasons.
Milos Kerkez – 21, Bournemouth
With Andy Robertson’s Liverpool career in decline, and Kostas Tsimikas, 28, too old to be a long-term successor, Arne Slot may decide to sell the Scot in the summer, with just 12 months remaining on his contract.
The inconsistencies associated with Tsimikas will have Slot looking elsewhere to leave his mark on this squad, likely beginning at left-back.
He need not look any further than the south coast of England, where Hungarian left-back Milos Kerkez is currently playing a huge hand in Bournemouth’s remarkable rise up the Premier League table.
A front-footed full-back, Kerkez often uses his pace to create overlapping and underlapping runs during Bournemouth’s rapid build-up play implemented by Andoni Iraola.
Echoes of the past?
Rarely required in the first phase, Kerkez has been given license to run deep into the left channels to receive long passes from either of the Cherries’ centre-backs.
Comfortable interchanging with the likes of Dango Outtara and Antoine Semenyo on the left, the Hungarian would be a perfect replacement for Robertson, who so often did the same with Sadio Mane.
At the age of 21, he would certainly inject some much-needed tenacity into Liverpool’s full-back department and Reds fans will hope Richard Hughes’ connection with Bournemouth seals the deal in the summer.
Jorrel Hato – 18, Ajax
With the future of club captain Virgil van Dijk up in the air, Liverpool may find themselves scrambling to find his successor sooner rather than later.
However, the versatility of the Ajax defender strengthens his case to be an asset to Arne Slot’s squad in the present day.
Able to play at both centre back and left back, the 18-year-old has shown maturity beyond his years, captaining Ajax in November 2023, at just 17 years old.
A total football ethos
Hato is composed on the ball and willing to use his raw pace to not only recover the ball but to take on a man.
Slot’s tendency to play out from the back, especially when his side is moving through the gears in their build-up play, would fit Hato’s playstyle like a glove.
Despite the rejuvenation of Ibrahima Konate under Liverpool’s head coach, an assured ball playing centre back like Hato would be welcome among their defensive ranks.
While Ajax appear to have returned to normalcy in challenging for the Eredivisie, Europe’s premier competition beckons for a once-in-a-generation talent like Hato, and Liverpool offer the means to a trophy-laden end.
Pablo Barrios – 21, Atletico Madrid
With Ryan Gravenberch quickly becoming a key cog for Slot’s Liverpool side, the deep-lying playmaker has been fortunate to avoid a serious injury, having already registered 2,570 minutes this season.
While the admirable Wataru Endo will soldier on this season, he does not suit Slot’s style of play, leaving no cover for the Dutch midfielder if Endo were to depart in the summer.
Pablo Barrios would not only be a suitable understudy but will also challenge the skill set of a high-flying Gravenberch, who could grow complacent without any serious competition in the squad.
Eye watering midfield could see another addition
While the 21-year-old is nowhere near as adept at receiving the ball on the half turn as the Dutchman, Barrios’ dazzling footwork and his ability to beat multiple opponents in tight spaces is astounding.
Capable of accelerating his game according to the tempo of the game, Barrios enjoys occupying the right flank to create chances for his teammates.
However, it would be an ambitious undertaking for Richard Hughes to complete such a signing, given that Barrios now dons the No. 8 jersey, recently worn by club legend and fellow local lad Saul Niguez.
Jamie Gittens – 20, Borussia Dortmund
With Luis Diaz, 28, fast approaching the final two years of his Liverpool contract, Richard Hughes and Arne Slot will have to decide whether to stick or twist with the Colombian winger.
Diaz could still fetch a sizeable transfer fee for a player in his prime and ample time remaining on his contract, in which case Jamie Gittens could prove to be his replacement.
Gittens is the latest Englishmen to develop in Dortmund’s nurturing setup, after Jadon Sancho and Jude Bellingham.
A bright spark in the Rhineland
An explosive left winger, Jamie Gittens’ goal tally of 11 is second only to Sehrou Guirassy’s 17, a notable achievement in a turbulent season that has seen Dortmund slip to 11th place, following the recent dismissal of Nuri Sahin.
While Cody Gakpo has become Slot’s first-choice left winger, Gittens could certainly make up for the Dutchman’s lack of pace, especially coming off the bench.
A low priority transfer in the grand scheme of things, but the opportunistic model in which Liverpool have signed many of their players in recent years never fails to surprise and whether he welcomes the attention or not, Gittens seems to be the latest recipient.