OPINION
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp will likely be spending this transfer deadline day with his feet up, possibly drinking a cup of tea (or perhaps a stein of beer later in the evening) – once he’s finished training this morning of course.
The truth is there’s not much to be done around Melwood on this, Jim White’s busiest day of the year. The Reds got their business done early this summer, and they did their work well.
There were a couple of holes in the squad that needed addressing, but for the most part there wasn’t much that needed to be done to a team that reached the Champions League final last season. That Klopp has gone out and recruited as he has is testament to the man’s relentless will to win.
The biggest bit of business from the Reds this summer was also their last bit of business. The signing of goalkeeper Alisson from Roma turned what was the team’s biggest weakness into one of their greatest strengths. The Brazilian number one is truly one of the finest ‘keepers on the planet and a monumental upgrade from Loris Karius. The German now reverts to a back up role, one to which he is far more suited.
The newly-arrived central midfield duo of Naby Keita and Fabinho will likely steal many headlines this season, also. The former’s signing from RB Leipzig was agreed last summer, with the agreement that the Guinea international would move to Anfield this year. Now at the club, the 23-year-old has begun in earnest, turning heads frequently throughout an impressive pre season.
His counterpart Fabinho will likely play a big part as a roving midfield destroyer following his arrival from Monaco. He has the legs to get up and down the park, and the technical ability to fit in alongside the multitude of talented players now plying their trade on Merseyside. At 24 he, as well as Keita, will likely be a lynchpin of the Reds midfield for a decade to come.
Then there’s Xherdan Shaqiri, the most underrated of Klopp’s new recruits. The Switzerland international is a true maverick, capable of outstanding moments of skill and technique at any time. He likely won’t be an automatic starter for Liverpool, but he will provide fierce competition for both the front three and the midfield trio. His versatility is a big bonus for the team this season.
When you add all these excellent pieces of business to an already stellar squad, you have a recipe for trophy challengers across multiple competitions. Klopp’s team are widely expected to be Manchester City’s closest rivals in the Premier League this season, while they’ll hope to go one better in the Champions League this term.
Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane will only get better as they continue to play alongside one another, while a full year of Virgil van Dijk at the back can only mean good things for the Reds. Add to that the continued emergence of full backs Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson and things are starting to look very rosy on Merseyside.
So Liverpool fans shouldn’t expect, nor be disappointed not to, hear anything this transfer deadline day. Klopp did his work early and he did it well, and Liverpool couldn’t be in a better position to challenge for honours because of it.
