Changes are coming to Liverpool ahead of the 2025/26 season.
The first two transfer windows under Arne Slot have been very quiet but that has allowed the Dutch coach to assess his squad this season.
Any players that do arrive this summer will be stars the Liverpool boss feels will take his team up another level and money will be made available for the Dutch coach to do this.
Slot wanted to add a number six to his squad ahead of the current campaign with Liverpool targeting a move for Martin Zubimendi of Real Sociedad.
The Reds would miss out on the Euro 2024 winner and would have been interested again during the next transfer window, however, Zubimendi has opted to join Arsenal.
The right-back role could also be an area that needs addressing as Real Madrid are pushing heavily to bring Trent Alexander-Arnold to Spain.
However, the biggest area of concern may be Liverpool’s forward line as there are several stars in different situations.
The Athletic’s Liverpool reporter James Pearce sees many changes coming to this area of Slot’s squad ahead of the new season as several players could depart Anfield.
James Pearce expects changes at Liverpool this summer
Slot is blessed with the forward options he has at Liverpool as every player in this area of the Dutch coach’s squad is very talented and can add a lot to the Reds’ attack on their day.
The former Feyenoord boss’ preferred trio this season has been Cody Gakpo, Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah, and Slot could find himself in a situation next season without one of these three major stars.
Speaking on the latest episode of Walk On: The Athletic FC’s Liverpool Show, James Pearce has admitted that he thinks changes are coming to Liverpool’s forward line next season and addressed Saudi Arabia’s interest in Darwin Nunez.
“I would be really surprised if Liverpool went into next season with the same options in terms of a number nine they’ve got currently,” the Liverpool reporter said.
“I think, yeah, there are big questions about Nunez’s future beyond this season. I think I wrote about it at the end of the January window that Liverpool had been contacted by intermediaries from the Saudi Pro League about Nunez in January, to sound them out essentially whether there was a deal to be done.
“Liverpool were adamant that there wasn’t because regardless of whatever fee was on the table, it wasn’t the right time that they were committed to keeping this group together to try and get every last drop they can out of the season.
“I think also, which again is probably part of the issue for the summer, but where do you go to replace them? Because you already have to look at Arsenal and how desperate they were to bring in a number nine in January and they didn’t do it, did they?
“So I can completely understand why Liverpool didn’t look to shake things up in January. But yeah, I think there will be changes in that attacking department in the summer.”
Luis Diaz amongst potential Liverpool exits
The biggest concern for Liverpool fans heading into next season will be the future of Salah as the Egyptian superstar has yet to agree a new contract with the Merseyside club.
Al-Hilal have a strong interest in Salah and the Reds winger could be followed to Saudi Arabia by one of his teammates as Nunez was a target for Saudi Pro League clubs during the January window.
With a contract expiring in 2027, it is being suggested that Liverpool will not offer Luis Diaz a new deal when his current terms expire as the winger closes in on 30.
That is a similar situation Diogo Jota finds himself in and it would not be a surprise if one of these players leaves Anfield at the end of the season as Barcelona have already shown interest in Diaz.
A lot is going on when it comes to the forward line in Slot’s squad and only time will tell how it will look when the 2025/26 campaign gets underway in August.
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