Judging by the starting XI alone, if there are no unforeseen circumstances, team would likely have three or four new starters, which does look like a lot at once. That said, there are mitigating circumstances like Szoboszlai knowing Kerkez well from their national team (Slot possibly changing the former’s position, too, so he would probably end up playing closer on the pitch to the latter), Wirtz playing with Frimpong for a few years at Leverkusen, no tournaments being held this summer, so Slot could have virtually his whole squad available for the pre-season preparations…
For dressing room overall, three already confirmed new players (four if you count this Pecsi lad) + Kerkez + the new striker, the new centre back, that might be a lot considering that there will also be quite a few departures (Kelleher, TAA, Robbo, Quansah, Chiesa, Nunez) and I share concerns that all these combined might impact the dressing room chemistry. Still, the club perform extensive background checks on these lads, so I’m less concerned than I’d usually be.
I guess that this was bound to happen given that club’s post-2022 transfer policy looked a bit reactive and disjointed. Like a few people have already written here, Slot might have surprised everyone by squeezing the last drops of success from Klopp’s last side, so now it’s about striking while the iron is hot and improving that side as much as possible, even if it takes a fair bit of reshuffle this summer. Doing it now would probably mean that, unforeseen circumstances aside, club could have calmer transfer windows over the next two or three years, making plans for Van Dijk’s and Salah’s replacements (likely Konate’s as well but these two are special cases in every sense).
Also, judging by the promotional videos, Wirtz’s English seems pretty decent, as is Kerkez’, while Frimpong can seemingly speak it in multiple accents, let alone understand it! I don’t know what’s Mamardashvili’s English like, hopefully he spent the past year brushing up on it.
And let’s not forget that every other club is also likely to have 2-3 new starters in their team come next season. Arsenal will surely have a new DM and a new ST. City have bought 6-7 new players since January and may not be finished for this window. Chelsea will buy a dozen or so too.
We also don’t have to chuck all our new lads in minute one of game one. We’re building from a place of strength so each lad we bring in needs to be winning their place off of someone already here who contributed to us winning the league.
Obviously you’d expect Wirtz to start and probably Kerkez if Roberson goes but Mamardashvili, Frimpong and Guehi (or whoever replaces Quansah) has a fight on their hands to be starting against Bournemouth.
It’s one of the main reasons the club wanted him. But let’s see what he builds once he’s been able to put more of his own ‘stamp’ on the players he wants to work with.
I’m much more worried if Robertson and Jota are still in our lineup and all creativity depends on Salah’s left foot.
Every team needs to update their game plans and approach every year to avoid being too predictable for opponents. I don’t have much problem with 4-5 new players; new plans and setups are always needed anyway. All additions are based on need. If there are problems, it’s about team quality. Football is their profession, and settling shouldn’t take months. Most of the time, “need more time to settle” are just excuses for failed projects like Nunez.
On the plus side, if Slot is building the club more in his own image, at least he’s able to do it using some of the best-possible players available, rather than having to make do with second-choices or worse as a lot of his predecessors did.
I’m really excited by the names we’re bringing in. If for some reason it doesn’t work, Slot won’t be able to blame his tools like a certain other predecessor…
So far I only see 2-3 starters, Wirtz, Kerkez and probably Frimpong, but let’s see who gets the nod between him and Bradley to begin. If we add a new number 9 it is 3-4 changes and all of them are necessary.
If we sign a central defender it will probably be a rotational option to replace Quansah. I like Quansah but it was clear Slot didn’t rate him too highly, so if we get a player Slot trusts more, bring it on.
I can’t imagine we will sell many players who will affect the first team too much. Most of the ones slated for an exit are squad men, and to one degree or another they are either way on the fringes, like a Morton; or Slot hasn’t used them very much, like an Elliott.
We need to recoup funds so selling a few in this category all seems sensible.
Diaz is the only player there have been some whispers over selling that slightly concerns me. He is a smashing player so I want him to stay. If he does go it will only be because someone has offered such a sum that Slot can reinvest it to good use.
In summary I’m chilled about what we are doing. Actually, I’m delighted! The bulk of it stays together, and we are making improvements to the first eleven, and also to the squad, and Slot will have a group that is more to his requirement.
I don’t think Konate is leaving even if we buy Guehi. There would probably be talk about it already, we possibly wouldn’t be selling Quansah either if that was the case.
I think as it stands right now its fine, however adding another person that considers them a no 1 starter, is a problem (Isak). In order to get someone else in, like an Isak, then one of Cody, Diaz will have to leave, or both of Jota and Darwin, and even then it will only account for about 20 starts. Adding too many starters is the problem for me, and intuitively 3 seems like the max to me especially that two of them already cover the same type of position, albeit different sides.
Konate if doesn’t sign a new deal will be sold that seems to be the consensus its the same path Palace are taking with Guehi. On Quansah people have been saying he was getting moved on irrespective of anything else.
Among fans or media? Not sure if Konate will be sold, I don’t think so. We’ve been here before. We don’t want clauses, we’re not afraid of going into the last year with players. And wanting to sell messes with the price we can get. Plus, Konate needs to want to go to that place also. I think the most probable is that we bring in a CB, Konate stays, maybe signs a new deal, maybe not, and next summer we might need more activity depending on everything at CB. We would need to bring in 2 more (not including Guehi) in this window. Unlikely.
Presumably we would like Konate to sign a new deal, but if he won’t, and he leaves, so be it.
If both Quansah and Konate leave, we’d need another cb besides Guehi, to keep the numbers up to 4 cb’s.
Hypothetically, as we don’t know what Konate is going to do, and we haven’t signed Guehi, but I think Van Dijk and Guehi would be a great partnership. I’d be comfortable with it.
I agree it would be a lot of change, no denying that, but through a combination of needing to upgrade, and reacting to departing players, I think we will come out of it just fine.
We can’t just sell him. We need someone to make an offer and that be from a club he wants to go to. Realistically that means PSG, Real, Barca, or at a push Bayern.
Difference with Guehi is there are a few teams willing to try and make a deal happen and Guehi seems open to making a move.
Personally I can’t see Konate going anywhere this summer. I think we have a chance to get him to sign a new deal. We’ve also shown we’re comfortable with keeping players going into their last year and them going on a free, either through our choice or theirs.
Yeah, I think Real are more or less done with their incoming defensive moves this summer. They needed a few younger players to bring the average age down.
Next summer, a few might go on a free.
The opportunity to sign for Real can be a very tight window. You see a kid like Huijsen who changed a lot of clubs in a short space of time and practically over night, with a season at Bournemouth of all places, became a full Spanish international and a Real player, with a very good chance to be a starter there immediately.
We’ll see what happens with Ibou, there could be a chance that Real still want that more physical type of CB, with experience of playing close to Trent.
I don’t think Konate is going to extend his contract. But I’ll be very happy if he signs a 3 year extension.
Neither can we sell him. Not when there are clubs who are willing to pay him more wages and a signing on fee when he can come on a free next year.
If not Real , it’s going to be PSG.
It’s easy to say that we buy Guehi and Konate’s up for sale this season. Nope. We can’t force him to leave. Not unless someone like PSG come up this season and post a sizable amount to force our hand.