From €150m dream to Portuguese at risk: Liverpool prepares for 2025/26
Massive ins and outs are expected at Anfield after a year of almost no signings. Isak is a near-impossible dream, Alexander-Arnold is set to leave and Diogo Jota is coveted by the Saudis
Liverpool ‘s season is over, and in the best possible way: with the Premier League title . Even with four games left, the Reds have nothing left to fight for, which means that, for Arne Slot and the Reds ‘ board , it is time to focus even more on preparing for next season. And unlike last season, when the Dutchman only had Chiesa back in the squad ( Mamardashvili was also signed but will only arrive from Valencia at the beginning of 2025/26), the idea is to spend… and a lot: the team is, according to the English press, preparing the biggest budget in recent years and a real revolution in the squad is on the way.
There is a dream bigger than the others (and an alternative)
Liverpool ‘s campaign as champions is also the same as Liverpool , who have the best attack in the Premier League , with 80 goals, 14 more than Manchester City , who are second best. However, Salah ‘s 28 goals have contributed greatly to this. The second best scorer in the competition is Luis Díaz , with 12, and Gakpo and Diogo Jota , forwards who usually play in the centre of the trident, have scored six and five goals respectively. A forward is therefore a priority and the dream is set: Alexander Isak , from Newcastle .
And that’s exactly what it’s all about: a dream. Because, while it’s not impossible, it’s going to be increasingly difficult to sign the Swede from Newcastle . The performances of the Magpies , who have won the League Cup and are fighting for the UEFA Champions League , suggest, according to the British press, that the signing of some key players will allow the team from St. James Park to even fight for the title in the coming years. This scenario could make it difficult for Isak to want to leave the banks of the River Tyne and gives Newcastle the strength to refuse any negotiations. For now, there has even been a set price, but it’s already set to be prohibitive: whoever wants to sign the second highest scorer in this Premier League (22 goals scored) will have to pay… 150 million euros.If that is not possible, there is an alternative on the table for now. Hugo Ekitike , the 22-year-old Eintracht forward , has excelled in the UEFA Europa League and the Bundesliga. He has 22 goals and 10 assists in the Frankfurt campaign , which saw him lose in the UEFA Europa League quarter-finals to Tottenham and is third in the Bundesliga . Liverpool are, however, reluctant to invest the €80m the German side are asking for the Frenchman, in a season in which they have already lost Omar Marmoush to Manchester City .
The well-known trio of the sporting director
The man pulling Liverpool ‘s transfer strings is Richard Hughes. A former player turned manager, Hughes moved to Anfield at the start of last season after having held a similar role at Bournemouth . And it is there that the English champions could find three key players for next season.
In addition to the striker, the left-back position is also seen as a priority for Liverpool , who are looking to find a competitor for Robertson , whose performances have dropped significantly in the last year. Milos Kerkez , a 21-year-old Hungarian who has been linked with a possible transfer to Benfica , has two goals and five assists in this season’s Premier League and is seen as one of the most promising full-backs in the world, with Real Madrid , for example, coveting him . He is fast, aggressive and likes to attack, all qualities that Arne Slot appreciates for his version of heavy metal football . Alongside Kerkez , there is someone whose price is already known: Dean Huijsen, a 20-year-old centre-back, is expected to leave the Cherries , after impressing everyone last year with his speed, ability in divided balls and passing game. He has a release clause of around 59 million euros.
Still at Bournemouth , there is another player who could interest the Reds: Antoine Semenyo , a 24-year-old winger, has shown more and more each season, having already scored 11 goals and provided five assists this season. Despite this, Semenyo ‘s arrival seems to be, more than the others, dependent on departures. And a real stampede from Anfield is expected
Semenyo scored the only goal of the match to give Bournemouth, led by Iraola, all three points, who stole eighth place in the Premier League from the Portuguese coach.
Farewell to history and changes in attack
67, 241, 351. These are the games Caoimhin Kelleher , Joe Gomez and Trent Alexander-Arnold have played for Liverpool , respectively. The first has been Alisson ‘s understudy since 2019, and has been trusted by Klopp and Slot. The second is the player who has been at the club the longest, since 2015, and has always been a stopgap in defence, being able to play in any position, in the middle, on the left or on the right. Gomez , who has lost his place in the team, will look to gain minutes elsewhere and Liverpool will not prevent his departure. Kelleher , in turn, is preparing to become the third in the hierarchy, with the arrival of Mamardashvili .
The player who will be missed the most by fans will undoubtedly be Alexander-Arnold. His departure is not yet certain, but it seems increasingly likely that the Englishman will join Real Madrid on a free transfer. Unlike Salah and Van Dijk , he has not yet signed a new contract – the Egyptian and Dutchman were due to expire at the end of this season, but have extended their contracts for another two years – and, according to reports from England , the player even described his possible departure as a “sensitive issue” to one of the club’s owners on the Anfield pitch during the championship celebrations, where he seemed somewhat distant.
In addition to these club institutions , a real revolution is expected in attack and it could affect a Portuguese player. Diogo Jota is, according to the English press, being coveted by Saudi clubs. Darwin Núñez is counting less and less on Arne Slot (a much talked about topic since A BOLA reported that another game of the Uruguayan as a starter would be worth €5 million to Benfica , something the coach denied knowing) and Federico Chiesa has barely played since arriving, with only one standout moment: the goal in added time that gave the team some hope in the League Cup final , which the English champions ended up losing 1-2.
Liverpool are still considering the possible departure of Harvey Elliott , who, at 22 years of age, has undeniable talent but is still not one of the first options in midfield, protected by Gravenberch , Szoboszlai and Mac Allister . In turn, it seems that it is time for Conor Bradley to take a step forward: at 21 years of age, he has already played 48 games for the Reds and provided 9 assists.
The 2025/26 season is already underway for the English champions. After failing to secure any new signings, Arne Slot has won the Premier League and received a boost of confidence from the board. And the money saved last year will now be used to invest heavily next summer.
