Liverpool head coach Arne Slot is still assessing many players who arrived late after their respective international duties this summer. The Dutch boss started his tenure with an emphatic 0-2 Premier League away victory against a newly promoted Ipswich Town.

Slot acquired a formidable squad from beloved manager Jurgen Klopp this summer and used the summer to assess his players. Liverpool are the only club in the European top leagues to make zero senior-team signings despite the constant demands from fans.

The Reds suffered a late dip in form last season that ruined their ambitions as Klopp said goodbye to Anfield. However, there is a counter-argument that Slot’s new style of play could avoid recurring injury crises based on his record.

Slot uses a more balanced approach compared to Klopp’s direct and fluid style of play in a high-pressing tactical system. Where Slot emphasizes the need to relax in possession from time to time, Klopp demanded counter-attacks and constant direct inter-play.

Liverpool conceded a lot of goals last season due to the gaps they left in midfield and defence. Under the new tactics, players stay narrow and organized to leave less space in the middle, easing the individual workload.

However, Liverpool currently have captain Virgil van Dijk, Jarell Quansah, Joe Gomez and Ibrahima Konate as the defensive options. Only Van Dijk has played regularly as a left central defender while the rest operate as right central defenders.

Liverpool lacks a left-footed centre-back while Konate is a serious fitness concern due to his injury record at the club. Gomez’s future is a big doubt amid this situation as his departure could allow Liverpool to sign a new defender.

At the same time, Gomez’s versatility and last season’s form makes a case in his favour to stay at Liverpool. Speaking to the media (via Liverpoolfc.com), Slot confirmed that he has just fully assessed Gomez and provided a positive review. He said:

“Yeah, it’s [Gomez’s head] been in the right place for three weeks. He’s worked really hard since he came back, but he didn’t play a lot at the Euros. When he came back in the first sessions he couldn’t train the whole sessions, so we had to manage his load a bit. That was also the reason why he wasn’t in the team last Saturday. But this week he had a good week in terms of load and how much he could do with the team. He’s one of the players that I see new things from and learn things from what I see, also combined with other players. It’s been a good week for him and for us until now.”

According to Football Insider, Aston Villa made an enquiry about the Englishman recently as Liverpool have put a £40-45 million valuation. The Athletic reported earlier that the Reds almost sold Gomez for £45 million to Newcastle United in June.

More Liverpool News

• Liverpool Fans Misled by Shocking Social Media Deception
• Arne Slot’s tactical masterclass against Ipswich town – A tale of two halves – TKT View
• Liverpool vs Brentford Extended Preview | Premier League 2024/25

If Gomez manages to impress Slot enough, the £85,000 per week defender would stay at the club which means the probability of a new signing drops significantly. However, fans are still hoping that Liverpool strengthen some parts of the squad with the left side of central defence on top of the list.