It promises to be a crucial summer of change for Liverpool – here are five players Richard Hughes should aim to sign..
Thriving in a post-Jurgen Klopp era will be the aspiration of every Liverpool fan. The German tactician, appointed in late October 2015, has embodied everything brilliant about the club since his arrival and will end his tenure as a certified club legend.
The onus of ensuring Liverpool remain industrious without Klopp will fall to Richard Hughes, who has been appointed as their new sporting director. Not only will he have to keep current players in check, but also welcoming new faces will form part of his remit.
Hughes’ first summer at Liverpool, what with the departure of such a key figure, marks an important time for the club, and he’ll be overseeing any recruitment plans heading into July, when the transfer window opens.
With plenty of chopping and changing expected to happen at Anfield, we’ve identified five players from around football that Hughes and his entourage should be targeting when the window opens for business.
Martin Zubimendi
Current club: Real Sociedad
Liverpool’s biggest area of weakness is arguably at the base of their engine room, with Wataru Endo being their only out-and-out defensive midfielder. And with the Japan international being 30 years of age, acquiring Martin Zubimendi, a fantastic deep-lying playmaker, would be a shrewd move. Also liked by Arsenal, Liverpool could face stern competition for the coveted midfielder.
In terms of price, it would certainly come at the higher end of the spectrum, but the Spaniard would unquestionably improve Liverpool’s first team from the off. Having played 42 games this season, the Real Sociedad star has already played in the Champions League with his current employers and could blossom into one of football’s top midfielders at Anfield.
Goncalo Inacio
Current club: Sporting CP
Goncalo Inacio
The most obvious area of focus for Liverpool’s recruitment team this summer is at centre-back due to Joel Matip’s long-term injury, and Sporting CP’s Goncalo Inacio is one of the players most reliably linked. The talented Portuguese can not only provide cover at centre-back but could also deputise in the role seen by Nathan Ake and Josko Gvardiol at Manchester City.
As a result, the Reds’ right-back would be licensed with much more freedom on the right. With an asking price above the £50 million mark, the 22-year-old Portugal international could be money well spent, considering his age and undeniable talent. Being left-footed, Inacio would feature in the heart of Liverpool’s back line for years to come.
Jeremie Frimpong
Current club: Bayer Leverkusen
Jeremie Frimpong
Many would claim that the right-back area is where Liverpool are strongest in terms of quality, what with Trent Alexander-Arnold and Conor Bradley in their ranks. But the former’s injury issues have highlighted the need for a new right-sided defender. Up steps Jeremie Frimpong, who has shown to be defensively astute and a menace in the final third this term.
The 23-year-old has been a vital cog in Bayer Leverkusen’s table-topping exploits, registering eight goals and assists apiece since the campaign got underway – and has built a strong library of goal contributions, which has alerted the likes of Liverpool to his potential.
Archie Gray
Current club: Leeds United
Archie Gray
Archie Gray is the latest young English talent catching the eye of Premier League behemoths, Liverpool included. In fact, the Merseysiders’ interest predates the now 18-year-old’s blistering form for Leeds United – and they could get ahead of the curve by snaring his services this summer, all while being boosted by Liverpool’s ‘very strong links’ to the youngster’s family.
An all-phase midfielder, also capable of being deployed at right-back, Gray’s technicality has not gone unnoticed. Neither has his versatility in the Championship’s in-form team, with the Durham-born phenom playing 3,347 minutes of second-tier football this season. That said, what Liverpool would have to fork out for the young star may be fairly significant, all things considered.
Johan Bakayoko
Current club: PSV Eindhoven
Johan Bakayoko celebrates
Preparing for post-Mohamed Salah life in Merseyside would be wise and potentially replacing him with the up-and-coming Johan Bakayoko would be risky, but it could also become a smart piece of business in the coming years with Manchester United also an interested party. The Belgian is tricky, hungry and would offer something completely different to what the Reds currently boast.
The fleet-footed youngster has bagged eight goals and 13 assists in 40 appearances this season but, thanks to his relative obscurity, would be half the price of a talent such as Michael Olise. As alluded to, whether he could transcend his red-hot form into the Premier League would be a worry on Liverpool’s part – but, that said, Bakayoko’s sheer talent with which Salah arrived at Anfield with in 2017.
