Liverpool are recovering from two major losses after being knocked out of the Champions League by PSG and losing the Carabao Cup final to Newcastle United.

However, the Reds maintain a 12-point lead over Arsenal in the Premier League with nine games left of the season.

If Liverpool hold on to their advantage, they will win the league for the first time since 2020, and they will equal Manchester United with 20 league titles.

Despite some downplaying Liverpool’s achievements this season, there were little expectations in the summer that they would be in the position they are.

They made two signings last summer.

Federico Chiesa, who has only featured 11 times so far for the Reds.

Giorgi Mamardashvili also agreed a deal with the Reds, but he won’t be joining Liverpool until the end of this season.

Looking back at last summer’s transfer window, it’s a fair assessment Liverpool made the right decisions in allowing Arne Slot to assess his squad.

This summer is different.

With so many different elements heading into Liverpool’s summer transfer window, we take a look at some of the possible moves in and out of Anfield.

Contracts

The biggest talking point away from the pitch this season has been the contract situation of key players.

In just over three months’ time, Liverpool could be losing Trent Alexander-Arnold, Mohamed Salah and Virgil Van Dijk for nothing.

This will provide Liverpool with an extra £750,000 per week in wages if they are to leave – but the repercussions could be worse than the extra money needed to be spend on wages.

Ibrahima Konate has recently spoke about his contract situation at Liverpool, amid interest from PSG.

The 25-year-old’s contract only runs for another year at Anfield, and he could potentially be leaving on a free as well.

Goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher and left-back Andrew Robertson’s contracts also run up to July 2026.

And in 2027, another large group of players have contracts coming to an end.

Since Michael Edwards returned to the club last year, alongside the appointment of Richard Hughes, Liverpool have only given out one contract, which was for Jarell Quansah.

Liverpool Contract Expiries Data by Daniel Moffat
Liverpool contract expiries according to Transfermarkt

Liverpool are playing a dangerous game where other key players in the squad will be looking at the contracts of their three best players before they confirm their future at the club.

This may also have an impact on incoming players, who know they have little time to settle into a new club and must prove themselves immediately, while replacing current Liverpool stars.

If all three leave the club this summer, Edwards and Hughes must provide Slot with players who can have an instant impact, in what seems to be a data driven approach heading into the summer.

Outgoings

It might not only be Alexander-Arnold, Salah and Van Dijk out the door this summer, as several players have been linked away.

The most prominent rumours in the last couple of weeks have been moves for the attacking players.

Darwin Nunez, Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota have all been linked away from the club, after what has been a disappointing season for all three of them.

In their last 41 games combined, the three of them have scored just three goals between them.

While Salah has scored 32 and assisted 22 times in 43 games so far this season in all competitions.

Another issue, particularly with Jota, has been his injury history.

He has missed 20 games so far this season for Liverpool through injuries and it’s been an issue since he arrived at Liverpool.

Other players like Harvey Elliott, Konstantinos Tsimikas and Joe Gomez have also been linked away due to either a lack of minutes or being lacklustre when given minutes.

Also, with the introduction of Mamardashvili, it’s likely Kelleher will be leaving the club too.

If these departures are made, Liverpool will have the funds to improve the squad, but Liverpool must pick and choose the positions where the priority is high, which may prove to be a difficult task.

Incomings

It doesn’t feel like one summer window goes by where Liverpool aren’t linked to one of the biggest players in the world, and that is no different this year.

Liverpool, along with Europe’s elite, have been linked to Newcastle striker Alexander Isak.

The Swedish forward has been one of the Premier League’s best players this season, having notched 19 goals and five assists in 23 league appearances.

The major issue standing in Liverpool’s way is the price tag it would take to prise him away from Tyneside.

Newcastle would not have to be forced to sell the forward, after the club won a trophy for the first time in 70 years and could qualify for the Champions League.

The Magpies would reportedly demand somewhere in the region of £150 million – twice as much as Liverpool’s record transfer fee for Nunez.

Despite Liverpool making some bold moves in recent years, including moves for Nunez and Dominik Szoboszlai, they have very rarely opted for the big money move.

Since FSG took over the club, Liverpool have relied on more data-driven signings.

And with Edwards returning to the club, it seems Liverpool will be continuing in a similar vain.

There have also been links recently to Borussia Dortmund defender Nico Schlotterbeck and Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi, but these deals are more likely to be made if Van Dijk does depart.

There have also been suggestions Liverpool will make a move for Bournemouth full-back Milos Kerkez with the Reds looking for a new left back.

Liverpool will be keeping an eye on all these positions as well as another addition in midfield.

However, with Alexander-Arnold, Kelleher, Elliott and Gomez all linked away with moves, Liverpool need to find a balance with home grown players.

To cover costs and the HWG issues that the club must cover, it could well be resolved within the club.

The Academy

Last summer, Liverpool made some sales which were questioned, due to selling youngsters

Sepp Van Den Berg, Fabio Carvalho and Bobby Clark were all sold, while others were linked away on a permanent basis.

Liverpool may adopt a similar approach this summer if funds are needed and if they want to take huge steps in the transfer window.

Owen Beck, Kaide Gordon, Calvin Ramsay and Lewis Koumas may well all be sold this summer after loans away from the club.

While the likes of Ben Doak, Luke Chambers, Stefan Bajcetic and Jayden Danns may be evaluated in the summer after spending the preseason with the club.

Doak has been hugely impressive during his loan spell at Middlesbrough and could well add the depth to Liverpool’s attack.

Liverpool know every youngster can’t make it at the first team level for the club, but they can help the team achieve on pitch success with their sales.

Liverpool have recruited several players in their academy over the last couple of years, with Doak being one of them.

Rio Ngumoha joined the Reds last year from Chelsea, and they also made the signing of Lucas Clarke from Manchester City at the end of 2024.

Liverpool have made it clear that they are looking to recruit some of the best talents across the UK at a young age, and they have the purpose of making a career at Liverpool or making a career elsewhere which still benefits Liverpool.

Verdict

This will arguably be Liverpool’s most important transfer window since 2018, when Alisson, Fabinho, Naby Keita and Xherdan Shaqiri arrived on Merseyside.

There is one guarantee though and that is Liverpool will have a busy transfer window, whether that is incomings or outgoings.

Decisions have still yet to be made by Alexander-Arnold, Van Dijk and Salah, but the clock is ticking and it is quickly running out of time.

Arne Slot has shown his quality since his arrival and the initial point of him having little expectation to be in his current position rings true, but if he isn’t given the resources this summer, his back is firmly pressed against the wall.

The decisions made by FSG, Edwards and Hughes are going to have influential effects for the club, so what do they do?

Pay the three players running out of contract what they want, despite it possibly throwing Liverpool’s wage structure out the window.

Or take the risk, and hope things fall into place like how they did at the beginning of the Klopp era, despite potentially losing other key players in the process.

Time is ticking quickly for Liverpool.

(Featured image by Daniel Moffat)

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