As the summer transfer window accelerates, the prospect of Liverpool splashing €150 million on Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak has reignited debates around how best to reinforce a squad now competing on multiple fronts. While Isak’s technical ability and goal potential are undeniable, Liverpool’s greatest needs lie deeper within the structure of their evolving project under Arne Slot.
The Merseyside outfit would be far better served by distributing such a sizeable investment across three pivotal positions: central defence, wide attack, and defensive midfield. Here’s why prudent squad building, not marquee extravagance, should top Liverpool’s priorities.
Defensive Depth: The Cornerstone Liverpool Cannot Ignore
Defensive Frailties Laid Bare
The narrative of Liverpool’s 2024/25 campaign was punctuated by moments of brilliance but also by an unnerving vulnerability at the back. The numbers tell a sobering tale: Liverpool conceded 41 league goals, many of them resulting from lapses when defending ground crosses.
The side conceded 13 goals from such scenarios — often due to a lack of coverage behind the defensive line, slow reactions from centre-backs, and insufficient support from midfielders. This brittleness was most visible during the season’s climax, when the team’s defensive lapses often overshadowed attacking fluency and threatened their ambitions in both domestic and European competitions.
Injury Concerns: Ibrahima Konate and Joe Gomez
Part of Liverpool’s defensive woes stem from the delicate fitness records of Ibrahima Konate and Joe Gomez. Konate, while a commanding presence when fit, has missed several crucial matches for Liverpool due to thigh and hamstring injuries.
Similarly, Joe Gomez’s history reads like an injury chronicle: repeated thigh and muscle issues, alongside surgery and several months of absence last term, have cast doubts on his long-term reliability at centre-back. These concerns necessitate a robust succession plan that does not rely on perpetually fragile legs.
The Impactful Loss of Jarell Quansah
Compounding the issue is the departure of Jarell Quansah to Bayer Leverkusen after 58 first-team appearances. Quansah had emerged as a dependable backup option and, at just 22, represented both present depth and future promise. His sale leaves Liverpool with a glaring deficiency at the heart of the defence that cannot be ignored as the squad gears up for another marathon season of domestic and international football.
Marc Guehi: An Intelligent, Cost-Effective Solution
Liverpool’s defensive rebuild must centre around value and fit, rather than flash. In this light, Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi may be a shrewd solution. With the player reportedly preferring a move to Anfield over other destinations and willing to see out his final Palace contract year if needed, the conditions may be ripe for a reasonable deal. Guehi brings vast Premier League experience, positional awareness, and a relatively clean injury record — attributes sorely missed in Liverpool’s back line.
Crucially, Guehi’s age and room for development perfectly align with Liverpool’s recruitment model. He embodies the characteristics Liverpool lacked last term: calmness under pressure, rapid recovery sprints, and the ability to read danger before it unfolds. By diverting a portion of the Isak budget to this signing, Liverpool address not only an urgent need but also set themselves up for sustained defensive solidity in the Slot era.
Revitalizing the Flanks: The Urgency for a New Winger
The Exit of Luis Diaz and Federico Chiesa
Liverpool’s frontline now faces further flux. Both Luis Diaz and recent acquisition Federico Chiesa appear poised for departures, with Diaz the subject of persistent transfer speculation and Chiesa omitted from the club’s pre-season tour amid continuing form woes. This sudden depletion risks leaving Arne Slot’s side short of quality wide options, particularly on the left — a vital zone in Liverpool’s attacking system.
Diogo Jota’s Absence: A Gaping Void
Perhaps even more significant than the churn in personnel is the team’s loss of a “Jota-type” player: a versatile, two-footed presser who can operate across the frontline. His tragic passing mean Liverpool will miss his attacking intelligence and exceptional off-ball movement, both fundamental to their transition play and high press.
Malick Fofana: A Modern Arne Slot Winger
With the market for elite wingers inflated, Liverpool should focus on unearthing the next gem. Malick Fofana of Lyon fits this blueprint perfectly. The Belgian winger combines breathtaking agility, rapid acceleration, and high-level technical proficiency.
He ranks in the 98th percentile for progressive carries and in the 92nd for carrying distance among attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe — a testament to his ability to unlock tight defences and initiate quick transitions.
What makes Fofana tailor-made for Arne Slot is his versatility: he not only excels on the touchline, threatening defenders in one-on-ones, but also has the off-ball alertness and tactical discipline Slot demands from his pressing units. By investing here, Liverpool rejuvenate their wing options and gain a player capable of immediate rotation and long-term growth.
The Defensive Midfield Conundrum
Endo’s Age and Gravenberch’s Workload
While attention often fixates on attacking output, Liverpool’s midfield balance has quietly eroded. Wataru Endo, though a model professional and stabilising influence, is well into his 30s. Succession planning here is critical; the pressing demands of Slot’s approach require a younger, more dynamic defensive shield to operate at intensity over a brutal fixture list.
This requirement was underlined last season by the overuse of Ryan Gravenberch. The Dutchman logged more minutes than originally planned, sometimes deputising as a destroyer and a deep-lying playmaker simultaneously, leading to burnout and inconsistency — an unsustainable solution for a club of Liverpool’s ambitions.
The Need for a Modern Midfield Anchor
Liverpool must prioritise securing a defensive midfielder capable of dictating play from deep, breaking up transitions, and shielding the defence — roles that neither Endo nor Gravenberch are primed to fulfil solo. By targeting an up-and-coming “number six”, Liverpool enhance both their tactical flexibility and their ability to weather inevitable injuries and suspensions without loss of quality or direction in Slot’s new system.
Conclusion: Smarter Spending for Sustained Success
In summary, investing the €150 million earmarked for a single forward like Alexander Isak into three pivotal positions will not only address Liverpool’s most glaring vulnerabilities but also create the robust, balanced squad required for title contention and deep European runs. A new central defender, preferably Marc Guehi, a dynamic young winger like Malick Fofana, and an energetic defensive midfielder are not extravagant purchases but essential reinforcements for a team at the crossroads.
If Liverpool are to return to the summit, they must construct a squad as resilient as it is talented — one built not on galácticos, but on intelligent, targeted investments across the pitch. The time for smart recruitment is now. The future of Liverpool depends on it.
