Liverpool’s diligence and careful planning over the past several years has allowed Richard Hughes and Michael Edwards to ride the crest of a wave of intent in the summer transfer market.
While the Reds’ defensive line was hampered by the departure of Trent Alexander-Arnold at the end of last season, Anfield’s vice-captain now coloured in Real Madrid white, FSG acted incisively to wrap up deals for new full-back pairing Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong, joining from Bournemouth and Bayer Leverkusen respectively.
The latter was the first to arrive, and boasts an electric kind of skill set which lends itself to a more attacking berth too. In this way, he can contest with Conor Bradley for a starring role while covering for Mohamed Salah on the right wing.
Frimpong certainly has offensive quality, once hailed as a “monster in the final third” by The United Stand’s Beth Tucker. Excitingly, he’s not even Liverpool’s best Leverkusen addition this summer, with Florian Wirtz welcomed to the fold for a British-record £116m fee.
The attacking midfielder has the lot, and will likely upgrade on the club’s existing attacking midfield options while concurrently replacing Alexander-Arnold’s limitless creativity.
Why Liverpool signed Florian Wirtz
Slot opened with an interesting gambit this summer, reorienting Liverpool’s creative focal point. Trent has long been regarded among the crème de la crème of playmaking in the Premier League, but he’s gone, and the champions were right in signing world-class talent more aligned with tactical conventions.
Wirtz, 22, has been an utter menace for Bayer Leverkusen over the past several years, bursting from the youth scene with gusto, flooring seasoned professionals with his bounding strides. In 2023/24, he earned the honour of Bundesliga Player of the Year, vital in toppling Bayern Munich after an invincible domestic campaign.
He’s the real deal and will add more flair and flavour to a title-rich Liverpool team. Wirtz has something most every attacking midfielder yearns for: he brings completeness defined by its artful and industrious mix.
For example, Dominik Szoboszlai is a fantastic player, crucial for Liverpool, but he lacks the potency and speciality that Wirtz brings to the table.
Matches (starts)
31 (25)
36 (29)
Goals
10
6
Assists
12
6
Touches*
73.4
46.1
Shots (on target)*
2.5 (1.3)
1.9 (0.6)
Pass completion
82%
86%
Big chances created
17
12
Key passes*
1.8
1.6
Dribble success
2.6
0.6
Ball recoveries*
3.6
3.7
Tackles + interceptions*
1.3
1.4
Duels won*
5.2
2.8
Harvey Elliott’s feet wear a similar magic, but he lacks the clear definition of his German counterpart. Elliott, 22, has been touted with a move away from Merseyside this summer, Brighton and Borussia Dortmund among the frontrunners.
Should the Young Lion leave, Slot will want a replacement, and while Liverpool have one of the very best in Wirtz, they appear keen on signing yet another attacking midfielder who could bloom into one of Europe’s finest.
Liverpool prepare bid for La Liga sensation
According to Spanish sources, Liverpool are interested in signing Barcelona’s Fermin Lopez this summer. Fermin, 22, has enjoyed a fast rise from La Masia and is valued at €80m (roughly £69m).
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However, Hansi Flick’s focus on bringing attacking additions to Camp Nou has cast doubt over the Andalusian midfielder’s future, and Liverpool are ready to take advantage.
In fact, Anfield’s sporting director, Richard Hughes, is believed to be preparing a bid for the versatile star.
Liverpool might have signed Wirtz, but there’s room for such a profile to work on improving and blooming into a player of the highest class.
Why Liverpool want Fermin Lopez
Fermin is still young but he’s already established himself in a Barcelona side currently celebrating their La Liga and Copa del Rey double last year. The Spaniard also played a part in winning UEFA EURO 2024.
In total, he’s played 88 matches for the La Blaugrana senior side. With 19 goals scored and 11 assists laid on for his teammates, Fermin has a developing sharpness that has been utilised both centrally and out on the left flank.
In this manner, he’s not too dissimilar to Wirtz, especially when considering he ranked, per 90, among the top 10% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues last season for goal contributions, the top 12% for pass completion, the top 9% for passes into the final third and the top 20% ball recoveries, as per FBref.
His positional fluidity and ball-playing focus link Fermin together with Liverpool’s new record man. However, there’s more. Digging deeper into the comparison, Fermin has been described by talent scout Jacek Kulig as being “simple and genius at the same time”.
There are exciting similarities in regard to the playmaking and pass-focused sides of the respective midfielders’ games, but don’t expect Fermin to bring as flashy and electric a game to Merseyside. He’s not that type of player.
However, Fermin’s alternate variation would give Liverpool the added dimension they need to continue to go from strength to strength under Slot’s wing.
Across 28 La Liga fixtures in 2024/25, as per Sofascore, he scored six goals and supplied five assists, so he might be a somewhat more pragmatic player but he’s certainly not without his offensive uses.
Without overextending with his creativity, Fermin manages to play that Wirtz-esque passing game in an industrious and controlled manner. He will collect the ball so many times across the 90, parcelling it out this way and that.
Liverpool enjoyed a stunning 2024/25 campaign, but they were felled at points – in particular in crash-out losses against Paris Saint-Germain and Newcastle United – with both fixtures underscoring the need for more control and technical proficiency in the engine room.
Not that the Reds are lacking in that regard, just that they could do with that extra injection to win the lot next season. Wirtz and Fermin in tandem would likely help in that regard, for sure.
Slot's answer to Gyokeres: Hughes lines up Liverpool move for "crazy" CF
Liverpool have been named among the interested parties for this prolific forward.
1 ByAngus Sinclair