Liverpool have already completed two transfer ‘steals’ but Jürgen Klopp to-do list remains clear

Liverpool fan Nick Sapia of LFC Boston gives us his take on the latest pre-Chelsea talking points, including contests for Moisés Caicedo and Roméo Lavia.

Liverpool take on Chelsea later today at Stamford Bridge in the opening match of the Premier League season for the pair, but attention has been almost exclusively on chasing Brighton’s Moisés Caicedo – and to some extent Southampton’s Roméo Lavia – beyond the last days .

Whatever happens in the transfer market, Liverpool could really use one to help Chelsea make a real statement at the start of the new season. Given the number of changes Mauricio Pochettino has had to oversee, this might not be the worst time to face him. We asked Liverpool fan Nick Sapia of LFC Boston a few questions about the Reds ahead of kick-off. What do you think of the summer transfer window from Liverpool’s point of view? What else needs to be done?

Well, everyone said they wanted a makeover, right? I think the window has been solid so far, although we can all recognize that there is still work to be done. In today’s market, Alexis Mac Allister is the real deal and a brilliant work of the club. Dominik Szoboszlai looks like someone with huge potential and the midfield is already significantly better than last season, although more depth is needed.

Liverpool will obviously need a defensive midfielder, although I don’t mind that it took some time to find the position. With all the transfer nonsense with Chelsea, I hope the club have also kept defensive options in mind.

Ibrahima Konaté can’t play every week and the ‘box-midfield’ system really starts to break down when he’s not on the pitch. There has been a lot of talk about a left centre-back but I still think the right side is more important given the profile required for the system to work. I’m much more confident with Andy Robertson on the left than with any of our current replacement options on the right.

If the club can sign another midfielder and defender, it’s hard to imagine a better summer window. However, they must be determined in the coming weeks to achieve this.

The pursuit of Romeo Lavia has now dragged on quite a bit. Is he the right target to sort out the Liverpool midfielder if Moisés Caicedo is unavailable? I think we now understand why it’s taking so long. Even if Caicedo joins Chelsea, I agree that the club explores all options in terms of defensive midfield. You clearly have a rating for Lavia and are reluctant to exceed it. I’m also skeptical that Chelsea will sign both Caideo and Lavia, but wonder if Liverpool will continue to explore other options rather than returning to Lavia immediately.

Lavia is a long-term project. The way Liverpool approach the first few months of the season won’t change much, as they need time to catch up (just look at how long Fabinho put in). When Liverpool decided to sell Fabinho, they accepted there would be short-term uncertainty about their position for long-term gains. This was 100% the right decision.

The midfield has already improved a lot, a lot with the additions of Mac Allister and Szoboszlai. Caicedo would be the perfect target to complete the midfield rebuild, but he’s not alone in doing so. What are your expectations for this season? What would success represent?

Getting back in the top four is the minimum; I think they will. From there, I wouldn’t say everything else is gravy, but I like that they’re heading into the season without the weight of high expectations.

Liverpool are very intriguing at the moment, and this one is as excited as I have been for a season that has been starting for a while. They remain one of the most talented teams in the league and have a very strong starting XI. They’ve taken one of the oldest teams in the Premier League and made them one of the youngest, which is exciting for the future.

The Europa League is not only an opportunity to pass on valuable experience to new, younger players, but also offers a trophy to be won. I think they are a defensive midfielder and another defender far from a team that can legitimately challenge for the Premier League title this season. Plus, this year they’re going to be a lot of fun to watch. What do you expect from Matchday 1 against Chelsea? A chance to make a mark, or would you take a point?

It’s a crazy game to start the season – we’re not quite sure yet what we’ll get from the Reds (I’m hesitant to even try to pick the starting XI) but Chelsea are even more of an unknown quantity.

I think we are going to see a restrained first half but given the way Liverpool forwards have played so far this season and the firepower they can muster from the bench I think Jurgen will try to find a place to go for the three dots and place a marker. Given what has happened at Chelsea in recent days, I hope the Reds have beaten them.