Liverpool will play Ipswich Town at Portman Road stadium on Saturday to start their Premier League campaign for next season. It will also usher a new era under Arne Slot who succeeded former legendary manager Jurgen Klopp during the summer.
However, the summer has surprised the Reds fanbase after Liverpool opted to assess the squad Slot inherited before spending money. Liverpool are the only team in the top European competition to make no signings so far despite the managerial transition.
Fans anticipated that the new sporting director Richard Hughes would prove his growing reputation in the football world with his actions. However, Hughes has suffered a big hit in his reputation after the Martin Zubimendi saga ended in a massive failure.
According to Daily Mail journalist Lewis Steele, Zubimendi broke his word by deciding to stay at Real Sociedad, rejecting Liverpool. Steele also addressed the transfer situation that Liverpool are facing now which brought heavy scrutiny from the social media fanbase. He wrote:
“The Reds believe they have adequate options in the holding midfield area with Alexis Mac Allister, Curtis Jones, Ryan Gravenberch and Wataru Endo able to play there. Dominik Szoboszlai and Trent Alexander-Arnold have also been earmarked to play there. Hughes is said to be angry as he thought Zubimendi had given his word to join the Anfield club. Liverpool have not completely ruled out signing a No 6 this summer but it is now seen as unlikely given the time left in the transfer window and also the club’s desire to not sign players for the sake of it.”
Liverpool failed to sign Chelsea’s Moises Caicedo last summer after entering very late in the transfer race to sign him. Chelsea eventually beat the Reds in that transfer saga but fortunately, Liverpool finished with a better conclusion with Wataru Endo.
Nevertheless, after Aurelien Tchouameni, Caicedo and now Zubimendi, the Reds have faced constant defeat in signing a strong number six. Zubimendi’s love for Real Sociedad and his family’s desire to stay in Spain taken lightly during Liverpool’s assessment is something that infuriated the fans.
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Captain Virgil van Dijk and Endo are the experienced players who represent the sentiments of the locker room. They have previously highlighted the requirement for fresh faces and if Liverpool goes without signing anyone, it is not hard to think that players will question the club’s ambitions.
Many Kopites believe it’s a bigger sin not to have an alternative for a player who was so difficult to sign. Meanwhile, others argue that the Reds have enough depth for the next season, but they acknowledge the significant risk involved.
