Liverpool remains in contention for all four trophies this season and the dream send-off for Jürgen Klopp is still a possibility. The Reds should be confident of winning at least a couple of competitions and could yet win the lot.
That makes it a fascinating period coming up on the pitch over the course of the next four months. But off the field as well, things are going to need to get going fairly quickly.
Liverpool is in need of a few big appointments including finding a new manager who can take over from Klopp. That could be the most difficult decision that FSG faces but it is far from the only tricky one.
Liverpool.com has taken a look at every element of what is to come in the next few months off the field. On it, it is clear that the Reds’ players would very much like to get winners’ medals in the Carabao Cup, FA Cup, Europa League, and most importantly the Premier League, where Klopp will hope to win that in front of fans for the first time.
Sporting director decided and new manager quickly announced
While the decision on who succeeds Klopp has not been made yet, it is likely that Liverpool will want to move quickly. Whether it is Xabi Alonso, Roberto de Zerbi or anyone else, getting on with the job swiftly, especially considering that this is a summer with a European Championship tournament in the middle, will be significant.
Waiting will not benefit anyone, though it could be a big few weeks if Liverpool can at least take the Premier League title race to the final day of the season. The Europa League final and FA Cup final are a few days later.
Prior to all of that, it would be handy to have a new sporting director. Jörg Schmadtke has gone now and it makes sense to get someone in well in advance of the summer as the figurehead for the next few seasons.
The dream scenario would see both appointments made quickly so everyone (including potential summer signings) know what comes next. Speed is important, but getting the decisions right is obviously even more so.
Three contracts to be sorted out
Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold are all out of contract in 2025 as things stand. Klopp’s departure should not have too big an influence on what happens with them but getting new deals signed would be a major boost.
Van Dijk backtracked on comments about being unsure about his future this week, saying they had been taken out of context, while Alexander-Arnold should be a simple extension to get done. Salah might be the most difficult considering how long negotiations went on for last time, but the Saudi league’s threat appears more minimal now than a few months ago.
In an ideal scenario, all three players would extend before the summer. They all will have big parts to play still and sorting that before a summer of speculation can begin would be perfect.
Summer signings in key positions
The Liverpool squad is already well-stocked in most areas. Joël Matip and Thiago Alcântara could leave as free agents but even then, there are not loads of obvious holes that need filling.
Liverpool could add more depth in all areas if it wanted to. At the back, a defender will probably be needed but Jarell Quansah and Joe Gomez’s form has lessened the urgency of that. In midfield, more depth is not vital but would be no bad thing and the same can be said in the attack — especially considering the Champions League will be expanded from next season, meaning more fixtures.
An ideal summer could include a signing in the defense, the midfield, and the forward line, but much will depend on the identity of the new manager and how they want to play. A decision will need to be made on Alexander-Arnold’s long-term position, for instance, as that could have a knock-on impact in terms of needing another right-back.
