Liverpool’s perfect window included the signings of Khephren Thuram and Nicolo Barella as well as the arrival of a defender.

A fifth-place finish without Champions League football on the line forces Jurgen Klopp and the Reds’ management to overhaul their squad during this crucial transfer window.

With key players entering the latter stages of their careers, Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool have a challenging task ahead of them this summer. The outlook for their current squad is becoming less clear.

Given that the Reds had come the year before to winning a storied quadruple, they had much to live up to last season. With only two victories in their first eight Premier League games, they struggled to keep up early in the season and gave Arsenal and Man City crucial early advantages.

Additionally, the Reds never found their footing in the Champions League. A 4-1 loss away to Napoli in the group stage exposed the Reds’ vulnerabilities and their overstretched roster, and they ultimately lost at the round of 16 stage.

As young players like Harvey Elliott and Curtis Jones were given a chance to shine, injuries did not help. Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota, and Thiago Alcantara were all sidelined for significant portions of the campaign.

As soon as Jota and Diaz returned in the beginning of April, they resumed playing at their peak, but it eventually became clear that they had too much ground to make up with Manchester United and Newcastle in the battle for the top four. However, seven straight victories were sufficient to inspire hope for the upcoming campaign.

It will be a crucial summer in the recent history of the club, with a huge overhaul expected, here are some of the key points for Liverpool to consider ahead of the transfer window:.

Overhaul of the midfield.

Given that Thiago Alcantara and Jordan Henderson are both 32 years old and that Naby Keita, James Milner, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain have all left Liverpool, the midfield is where the team will be most closely watched. At 29, Fabinho appears to be having trouble maintaining the level of play he displayed in his early Anfield seasons and poses a long-term issue that may also require fixing this summer.

Due to aging legs, young players like Jones and Elliott are now required to perform. Although Klopp is pleased with Alexis Mac Allister’s arrival, he is also eager to give his team more options. Two players who stand out are Inter’s Nicolo Barella and Nice’s Khephren Thuram.

Barella was an integral part of the Inter team that advanced to the Champions League final, and his skill with the ball would help the Reds exert more control over games, something Klopp is constantly working to do. Thuram’s entry would help this cause as well because he is a great ball carrier and dominates in possession.

Henderson used to bring a similar work ethic to Klopp’s midfield, but the Reds captain is no longer a lock to start. The role previously filled by Henderson could be filled by two Atletico Madrid players, Marcos Llorente and teammate Rodrigo De Paul, should negotiations for Thuram or Barella fail to materialize.

As evidenced by their chemistry at the World Cup for Argentina, where they provided the ideal midfield base for La Albiceleste’s tournament victory, De Paul has previously been linked with a move to Anfield, and his pairing with Mac Allister would work well.

the long-term position of Alexander-Arnold.
Early in the previous campaign, Alexander-Arnold appeared more exposed than ever as his defensive skills were criticized as being insufficient.

But his performance at the end of the previous campaign has created a new opportunity, and this role appears to be where his future is going. As an inverted full-back, Alexander-Arnold excelled and did a fantastic job.

Putting the appropriate framework around Alexander-Arnold will be essential to achieving that. The full-back was at his best when he was a part of a back four led by Virgil van Dijk, and he’ll be hoping against hope that the Dutchman can recapture that form in the upcoming season. The world-class playmaking abilities of Alexander-Arnold were able to flourish thanks to Henderson’s defensive support; any new additions will need to be cautious of this.

Detailed planning and lower targets.

Big-name players are expected to sign every window, with the expectations of many modern football fans resembling those of those who once played FIFA career mode and signed players like Kylian Mbappe every summer.

This does not offer the building blocks for a solid team. Under Klopp, Liverpool made some of its best signings from teams like Southampton (Van Dijk and Mane), Roma (Alisson & Salah), Hoffenheim (Firmino), and Hull (Andy Robertson). Instead of having high expectations for themselves, these players all brought a hunger to succeed.

Ageing legs are becoming a bigger problem within the squad, so there are some areas where long-term replacements are needed. Van Dijk and Matip are both nearing the end of their careers, so it might be time to bring in a young center-back.

Levi Colwill, a 20-year-old defender for Chelsea, could be the ideal solution and the ideal left-footed option to pair with Ibrahima Konate, according to recent reports linking him to the team.

Concerns about Fabinho’s performance from last year will also have been warranted, but they may have been somewhat allayed by Stefan Bajcetic’s rise to prominence, who excelled in his breakout campaign. Having said that, Liverpool may still be interested in another young defensive midfielder.

Tyler Adams of Leeds might be a good choice, while Joao Palhinha of Fulham has also been mentioned. The 24-year-old Adams, who made 89 tackles for the USA national team last year to tie Casemiro of Manchester United, has demonstrated his leadership abilities.