Five Players who can Shine under Arne Slot

With three weeks left in the Jurgen Klopp era, a sizable amount of Liverpool supporters' heads are understandably turned toward next season, especially with the recent news that Arne Slot is set to become our next gaffer.

The Dutchman certainly seemed like an outsider's choice for the Reds' next manager, given the initial noise involving the likes of Xabi Alonso and Ruben Amorim.

But given Slot's style of play, there are certainly some similarities to Jurgen Klopp's tactics, which can ensure a smoother transition with the current group of players.

Heading into next season, some players could use the managerial change more than others, here are five who would thrive under the Dutchman.

Cody Gakpo

It's been a mixed season for our number 18, who's had moments of excellence mixed with moments of frustration and ineffectiveness.

Despite the up and down nature of his season however, Gakpo still managed to log 14 goals and 5 assists in all competitions, a respectable return considering his status as Liverpool's fifth-choice attacker when all are fit.

There's no doubt that Gakpo's versatility can prove useful to Slot, as he can play as an attacking midfielder, left sided attacker, central midfielder, and striker whenever called upon.

This jack-of-all trades nature can sometimes be a curse for the former PSV man, but his talent as a player is certainly not in question.

The Dutch connection with Slot will help massively in having Gakpo acclimatize with the new setup, and I fully expect our No. 18 to take another solid step in his Liverpool career under the new boss.

Alexis Mac Allister

The Argentinian has arguably been our player of the season, being the main lynchpin of Jurgen Klopp's revamped midfield throughout the campaign.

Our No. 10 has been a force in the middle, providing both a creative outlet and steel in the middle of the park for the Reds.

The fact that he's been deployed in a multitude of midfield roles at Liverpool, Brighton, and the Argentinian National Team really speaks to his varied skill set.

We've seen him play both the holding and central midfield role throughout the season, but under Slot's hypothetical 4-2-3-1 system, you would put your money on Macca playing as a midfielder in that double pivot, similar to his time under Roberto De Zerbi at Brighton.

Despite the current Liverpool campaign looking likely to end in a bit of a whimper, Mac Allister has been the biggest positive of the season.

Despite being only 25-years old, he seems primed to be one of the best midfielders in the world. Still hard to believe that we managed to snag him for the fee we did!

Dominik Szoboszlai

It's been a weird season for the Hungarian, who started off the season on fire before slowly but surely flaming out as the campaign went on.

Despite Szobo's recent struggles though, he remains a very talented player and a centerpiece of the Reds' future.

Arne Slot will certainly be licking his lips in terms of where he envisions the Hungarian in his setup, as his experiences with both RB Leipzig and Liverpool see him feature as an attacking or right-sided midfielder.

The high-intensity pace that Slot demands from his players is an environment that Szoboszlai can thrive.

With the likes of Curtis Jones, Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch, Harvey Elliott, along with Szobo, Liverpool's midfield looks like it's set for the foreseeable future, and with Slot's reputation as a tactician, you'd certainly back him to help get Szobo back to his very best.

Ryan Gravenberch

Following an up and down start to his Liverpool career, Gravenberch looks to be finding his feet over the last month or so, being one of the few bright spots in Liverpool's sputtering play to end the season.

His ability on the ball has always been a plus, as his directness and dribbling ability have been on display over the last few weeks.

It's obvious that there is a great player in there, and Gravenberch was just unfortunate to join Liverpool at the last day of the transfer window, without the benefit of a training camp to bed him into Klopp's style.

Under Arne Slot however, Gravenberch will definitely be given the time to implement himself better into the Liverpool team, and Slot's 4-2-3-1 formation might suit our him better than Klopp's favored 4-3-3.

Add to that, the Dutch connection between the two men is always a plus, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see Gravenberch among the first names on the team sheet next season.

Trent Alexander-Arnold

The appointment of Arne Slot is actually uncharted territory for Trent, as he's only played under one manager throughout his career in Jurgen Klopp.

This isn't necessarily a bad thing however, as the ability of our No. 66 essentially makes him the heartbeat of this Liverpool side, and common sense would have this continue, regardless of who's in charge.

Deployed primarily as a right-back over the years, Klopp's shift to an inverted system over the last season and a half might serve Trent wonderfully, as Slot can entertain the option of deploying Alexander-Arnold permanently in that double-pivot role, without having to move back into right back on defense.

The emergence of Connor Bradley this season could make this a viable strategy, and Trent's passing range, crossing ability, and even long-range shooting make him suited to that midfield role.

There's no doubt that many Liverpool fans, including yours truly, are looking forward to the next evolution of Alexander-Arnold's game, whether that's still at right-back or permanently in midfield, remains to be seen.