Liverpool head coach Arne Slot admits 'it's not easy' in this transfer market

New Liverpool head coach Arne Slot admits he would be ‘surprised’ if the club ended up not signing any players this summer. 

It’s all change at Anfield this off-season with Jurgen Klopp and his backroom team departing. There is a new sporting director in place with Richard Hughes being recruited after leaving Bournemouth and Michael Edwards is back under the FSG umbrella as CEO of Football. 

Trent Alexander-Arnold, whose contract expires in 2025, is deemed to be the priority for the new sporting director while decisions will also need to be made on Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk, who are in a similar position. 

While the Reds are reported to be chasing under-age talents like Alvin Ayman and Rio Ngumoha, there have been no deals completed around the first team. 

There are gaps in the squad to be filled with Adrian San Miguel, Thiago Alcantara and Joel Matip leaving after their contracts expired but so far Hughes has not conducted any business. 

That comes despite links with players like Leny Yoro, Teun Koopmeiners and lots of goalkeepers with the Reds’ squad no better off at this stage than it was at the end of Klopp’s last campaign. 

Arne Slot happy with current options

Nonetheless, Slot remains calm, insisting that he is content to work with the talent he’s already got on board. 

That said, the former Feyenoord supremo believes new players will be recruited before the window closes. 

"The first aim is to work with these players,” Slot told the press ahead of Liverpool’s pre-season friendly against Real Betis in Pittsburgh. 

"The disadvantage is that many of them aren't here yet. The positive is that there is an important lifeline of the club, youngsters coming into the team. It is an ideal way of seeing them in these weeks when they get a lot of playing time as well.

"Our standards are really high when it comes to bringing in new players because we have such a good squad.

"I have wanted to assess the squad which is really difficult as most of them aren't here. Of course, Richard [Hughes] and I and other people are trying to improve the squad where possible.

"If you inherit a team that’s really good, it’s not so easy to find players who are even higher, especially because those ones need to be available as well. Richard more than me is working really hard on that. He keeps me updated on that.

"If there’s any news on that we will come to you. We already have a good team, but it would be a surprise for all of us if we don't bring any player in. That will probably happen in the end. For now, we’re just waiting for the players to come back and the right ones to sign."