Arne Slot faces some major calls over his Liverpool squad this summer despite winning the Premier League title.
The Dutch coach masterminded a second EPL title in five years as part of a superb debut campaign to follow on from Jurgen Klopp’s work at Anfield.
Slot remains cool over how many new faces he will bring in with the former Feyenoord boss only on the lookout for stars who offer something different to his roster.
Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk’s joint agreement to extend their contracts until 2027 has been a major boost but Trent Alexander-Arnold is moving on to Real Madrid next month.
Bayer Leverkusen’s Jeremie Frimpong could be the first name through the door with a deal reportedly close as Liverpool look to activate his £30m [$40m] release clause at the BayArena.
Slot has been firm that he will not splash the cash, but the message from the Reds hierarchy is that new faces will be sanctioned, if they are costed against sales.
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Caoimhin Kelleher is in line to move on to an EPL rival, with Darwin Nunez attracting interest from Serie A and La Liga, and both players could bring in a joint fee of £75m [$100m].
As per reports from the Daily Express, if Slot secures one or two more sales, the ownership could double that figure and give him a total transfer war chest of £200m [$267m] to chase four key targets.
Liverpool’s four transfer targets for 2025/26
Frimpong’s move could be wrapped up before the start of June as the first move made in the summer market by Slot.
A new right-back is not the only defensive arrival expected with Slot also planning for the long-term on the left-side of his defence.
Andy Robertson endured a mixed 2025, and whilst his role is not under immediate threat, Bournemouth star Milos Kerkez is an ongoing target.
The Cherries have already lost Dean Huijsen to Real Madrid, and after missing out on European qualification, they could find it difficult to retain Kerkez, with the Hungarian openly hinting at his interest in leaving the Vitality Stadium.
A £45m [$60m] valuation falls within Liverpool’s budget, if they secure those planned sales, despite his importance to Andoni Iraola’s team.
Ajax’s highly-rated center-back Jorrel Hato is also on Slot’s watch list, after successive strong seasons in Amsterdam, and the 19-year-old is valued at £25m [$33m].
The teenage defender was spotted in the crowd at Anfield earlier this season and has already received the seal of approval from former Reds captain Jordan Henderson.
However, the most exciting name on Slot’s list is Frimpong’s Leverkusen teammate Florian Wirtz, despite his £100m [$134m] price tag.
Frimpong and Wirtz are expected to follow Xabi Alonso out of the club this summer, but an exit for 22-year-old will be tricky to negotiate.
Manchester City and Bayern Munich are also chasing the Germany international, and meeting Leverkusen’s valuation would smash Liverpool’s transfer record, which would represent a real test of the club’s faith in Slot.
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