Arne Slo has suggested that Liverpool’s early Premier League title win gives the club a head start in planning for the summer transfer window. He revealed that he can now have more detailed discussions with sporting director Richard Hughes about potential signings.
The Reds boss also believes that the euphoric scenes at Anfield on Sunday, when Liverpool was confirmed as Premier League champions following a 5-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur, could be a powerful lure for prospective players.
Liverpool is rumored to be interested in Bournemouth pair Milos Kerkez and Dean Huijsen, who have attracted the attention of several other Premier League clubs. The Reds are also speculated to be eyeing Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak.
In addition, goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili is set to join from Valencia, while Liverpool may need to find a replacement for Trent Alexander-Arnold, who is being courted by Real Madrid and could leave on a free transfer at the end of the season.
Slot has previously been reticent about the extent of Liverpool’s summer transfer activity, but the Dutchman now feels that the club’s status as champions, along with recent contract extensions for stars Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk, makes it an appealing destination for transfer targets.
Slot said: “Yeah [being champions helps], but it’s also a perfect package to stay motivated ourselves, because to experience this once is really nice, but we would love to experience it one more time.
(Image: Robin Jones – AFC Bournemouth/AFC Bournemouth via Getty Images)
“So we know why we do things now, because to experience this has been probably special for you guys, it’s been special for all the fans, but it’s definitely been special for the players and for us as well. So we know the [reason] why now, if we start next season, what we do it for.
“But it definitely helps, I think, to attract new players as well, because mostly the players that we want to have, we are not the only clubs who think they are good players, so these players have probably more options.
“And then it helps maybe for them to see that the way we do things over here is special, I think you can say that.”
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Ahead of the upcoming match with Chelsea, Slot revealed preparations for the future were already underway: “In the background, of course I did [plan for next season] already a little bit, because it’s not like after we won the league, that’s the first time Richard called me and said: ‘OK, these are the players we are interested in!’
“That would be a bit weird if that happened over there. But I think there’s a bit more time for that now than there would have been if we still needed three points or a win or whatever. So there’s a bit more time now to have these conversations.
“But let there be no mistake, we want to win every single game we play. So the players will be prepared in the same way as they’ve been prepared for all the other games we’ve played.”
