There are a multitude of decisions and moves that led Liverpool to winning the Premier League title at the first time of asking under Arne Slot. Lots of work behind the scenes came together at once.
Mohamed Salah has had an exceptional campaign, identifying Slot as a candidate to replace Jurgen Klopp was a masterstroke, and the Trent Alexander-Arnold situation was managed well until the title was confirmed. The midfield rebuild of 2023 has played a big part in the success that followed too.
When Liverpool realized that it couldn’t snap up Jude Bellingham, it pivoted to a number of players instead. Alexis Mac Allister was a bargain and Ryan Gravenberch has been one of the stories of this season. Dominik Szoboszlai, meanwhile, is perfect for Slot.
Liverpool signed the Hungary captain from RB Leipzig for a fee of around $78 million (£60 million), paying his release clause just ahead of it expiring. And since then, Szoboszlai has nailed down his place in the side.
Harvey Elliott has barely had a kick under Slot so far, mainly because the Liverpool boss loves Szoboszlai’s running power, energy and relentless pressing. He would ideally add a few more goals and assists to his name, but the 24-year-old has had another top season.
Before he moved to Liverpool, though, a deal was agreed for Szoboszlai to join AC Milan. Zvonimir Boban, the former CEO of the Italian giant, has revealed just how close a transfer was to getting done back when Szoboszlai still played for Red Bull Salzburg.
(Image: Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
“We could have also have taken Szoboszlai,” he told Calciomercato. “Everything was agreed: €20 million ($22 million, £17 million) was the clause with Salzburg.”
Szoboszlai could still have ended up with Liverpool, of course. He could have established himself at the San Siro before making the switch to Anfield. Things might not have panned out in the same way, though.
“One of the qualities Dom definitely has is the intensity he presses with,” Slot said about Szoboszlai last week.
“You can come up with all the tactics in the world, but it is always the intensity of the press that makes the difference.
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“It doesn’t matter what I come up with, but if we are intense it is so difficult to play through us. One of the qualities Dominik has is definitely the pressing part and that’s why he played so much this season as well.”
Szoboszlai started against Arsenal at the weekend. Liverpool has Brighton (away) and Crystal Palace (home) still left to play this season, with Virgil van Dijk set to lift the Premier League trophy at Anfield after the latter fixture.
Liverpool.com says: Szoboszlai is the ideal Arne Slot number 10. He is a brilliant runner and really helps cover for Salah, who is then able to stay in the best positions to be impactful in the final third. While some might think that Szoboszlai doesn’t offer enough in terms of goals and assists himself in that role, he more than makes up for that with what else he brings to the table.
