Liverpool have not yet been an active participant in the summer transfer window, but that does not negate the optimism that should be building ahead of the season opener.
It has been a summer of change, a significant one at that.
The club have welcomed a new head coach, backroom staff, and hierarchy – though no additions to the playing squad have yet been secured.
We are all desperate to see the squad bolstered and it is non-negotiable, but that does not mean we do not have room for optimism while we wait for a new name/s to arrive.
Exhausted, but no injuries
Nineteen players made international appearances over the summer, 14 were involved in tournaments and, thankfully, none reported any injuries.
It ensures they can all start pre-season on time when their return date comes around, an incredibly important factor when you consider the majority will have less than two weeks to prepare for the season opener.
They will still need to be managed accordingly as they have played a ridiculous amount of football, but easing them in is far better than having to work around a rehab schedule!
No player overlooked
The line since Arne Slot arrived is that he wants to look at the squad available to him before making any transfer decisions.
It is easy to forget he does not know these players as well as we have come to know them, and that he has his own priorities and traits he wants to see before deciding one way or another.
At least we know there is careful consideration being undertaken, that decisions are purposeful and intentional rather than rash – it is the difference between the great clubs and the not-so-great, Man United are a testament to that!
It does not mean we will all agree with what the final decisions are, but every player will seemingly get a chance to impress before wishlists are looked at and the chequebooks start to appear.
This is still a talented squad
“I don’t expect a clean-out but it is not mine anymore. There is so much potential there,” Jurgen Klopp assessed at the end of last season. “The quality is still there, can still develop, fantastic.”
Klopp intended to leave the club in a better position than he found it, and he most certainly achieved just that – especially with the squad.
Exciting young players are coming through, the veterans are still performing and the likes of Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai will be better off after a year under their belts.
Not to mention, Slot and his staff will look to take them all to that next step that Klopp alluded to on the training pitch.
A defender and defensive midfielder are the priorities for most, and many would not say no to another attacking option, but we can’t lose sight of what is already at the club.
The foundation is there, the club now need to actively pursue players who will add competition and complement those already at Anfield.
Silence does not equal inactivity
When the time comes that Liverpool do make moves in the transfer market, we should not be surprised if there is a quiet buildup now that Michael Edwards is back overseeing the operation.
He works in the shadows, if you will, and sporting director Richard Hughes will follow that lead – we’ve been here before and it is important to remember that silence does not equal inactivity.
Liverpool is in safe hands, there’s no need to make a racket when pursuing targets and in some ways, it is nice to have the element of surprise when one day we’re linked and two days later a player has signed.
Hopefully, it’s only a matter of time before that becomes reality!