We know where we’ll strengthen in summer, says Liverpool’s Arne Slot

Liverpool are plotting for a busier summer of recruitment as they look to mould the squad to Arne Slot’s demands, the Dutchman has said. The club have been quiet in the market since Slot replaced Jürgen Klopp but he has pinpointed the positions the team need to upgrade.

Only Federico Chiesa has arrived at Anfield under Slot, although a deal has been agreed for the goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili to join from Valencia. Liverpool lead the Premier League table and are 17 points clear of Sunday’s opponents Manchester City, but Slot and the sporting director Richard Hughes are working on creating a shortlist of targets.

“We are looking at every single position and we are looking at the team, and I think we’ve said this many times, last summer, we didn’t do a lot because we, Richard, me and all the other people involved, just wanted to know how these players were working with me,” Slot said.

“Now we have a very good idea about that. I’m not going to tell you which positions we prefer, but it is clear that we’ve assessed the squad, we’ve assessed what we think where we can improve, and that’s where we try to go for in the summer.”

Matters are complicated by Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold being out of contract in June. If any were to depart, it would put a different spin on the summer’s transfer activity as Liverpool would need to seek replacements.

Liverpool defeated City 2-0 in December, inflicting a fourth straight loss in the Premier League on the reigning champions, who have endured a difficult season by their standards. Pep Guardiola was forced to do business in the winter transfer window in an attempt to arrest City’s slide. The club spent nearly £200m on four players in order to reinvigorate a tired squad suffering from absentees through injury.

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“If you take two months ago, I think it’s fair to say that they weren’t at their best,” Slot said. “Their players will be at their best again, will have the best possible preparation they could do. Even for City players that have experienced so many great things, I think it’s still a special game to play. I think we have to be at our best to keep this unbeaten run of 22 games going.”

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