With Jurgen Klopp departing Anfield at the end of last season and Dutchman Arne Slot coming in with big boots to fill, almost nobody expected Liverpool to be in the title race this season. Liverpool fans themselves were under the impression they would need to give Slot a year or two to settle in on Merseyside and find his feet in the Premier League.
Yet, fast-forward to today, and the Reds have been crowned champions, claiming back the title for the first time since 2020 with relative ease. Manchester City struggled, while Arsenal’s hopes were derailed by the March international break.
Liverpool may have hit the jackpot with Slot, but the former Feyenoord boss has set the bar incredibly high for himself going forward.
Defending the Premier League title will be no easy feat next season, and the early football odds suggest their rivals are already gearing up to knock them off their perch. Want to know who’s top of the table this week? Right now, it’s Liverpool—but to stay there, the club must make key improvements in the transfer market.
Here are three areas that need attention if the Reds are to go back-to-back in 2025-26.
Right-back
Liverpool’s title celebrations have been somewhat bittersweet in the closing stages of the season, as Trent Alexander-Arnold reached an agreement to join Real Madrid on a free transfer at the end of the campaign. The news has not gone down well with the Reds, who have even gone as far as to boo the full-back during games.
Conor Bradley has already proven himself to be a suitable replacement in the last season or two, but his injury record is a cause for concern, and he certainly can’t cope with the busy schedule of the modern game.
Not to worry, though. Liverpool bosses have moved quickly to bring in a replacement for Alexander-Arnold, advancing in talks with Jeremie Frimpong.
The full-back has been lighting up the Bundesliga with Bayer Leverkusen, and with a release clause of around £30 million, it’s a bargain in today’s market. It will be interesting to see who wins the battle for the starting spot between Bradley and Frimpong, but they are both quality youngsters.
Striker
While Arsenal have arguably missed out on the Premier League for the last three years due to the lack of a top striker, Liverpool managed to see out the job without one themselves. That is largely thanks to Mohamed Salah’s contributions.
At the time of writing, the Egyptian King scored 28 goals and provided 18 assists in the Premier League, and the Kop will continue singing his name into next year as he signed a contract extension despite it not looking likely at one point.
But Liverpool can’t rely solely on Salah, and the club is finally at the end of their tether with Darwin Nunez. Things have clearly not clicked after three seasons in England, having joined from Benfica for £64 million, while the injury-prone Diogo Jota could also be on the way out.
Newcastle United’s talisman Alexander Isak has been heavily linked with a move to Liverpool, but his services will cost well in excess of £100 million—and who knows if the club will fork that out?
Centre-back
Virgil van Dijk’s contract renewal is another massive bonus for Liverpool going into the summer and next season, but the Reds’ recruitment team will likely still be in the market for a new centre-back in the transfer window.
Ibrahima Konate has only a year left on his current contract, and Liverpool could cash in this summer to avoid another situation like they had this year. 22-year-old Jarell Quansah doesn’t look ready to step up and be a regular starter for Slot either.
Bournemouth’s Dean Huijsen was reportedly an option after impressing for the Cherries this season, and his £50 million release clause made him even more attractive. However, Liverpool appear to be at the peril of Madrid again, as Huijsen is set to be in the famous white of Los Blancos next season.
If Liverpool can plug these three gaps over the summer, Slot might just be able to do the unthinkable and deliver back-to-back Premier League titles in his first two seasons. But with the margins at the top getting finer each year, decisive recruitment is more crucial than ever.
