Arne Slot has finished his first day as the Liverpool new head coach and this summer will be a big one for him. The Dutch coach will need to get used to his new surroundings and then get his ideas across to his new squad.
There will likely be more changes to the team in the coming months, too, with transfers on the agenda to further improve the squad that Jurgen Klopp leaves behind. There are a couple of obvious places to look in terms of strengthening.
Benfica starlet Antonio Silva has long been linked with a move to Liverpool and the Reds do need another defender to come in this summer.
Portuguese newspaper Correio da Manha (print edition via Paisley Gates) reports that as well as Arne Slot’s side, Manchester United and Arsenal are also in the market for the player.
Real Madrid and PSG could also get involved in a race for the talent. But Liverpool, it is said, has already made contact over a deal and has taken steps towards getting something done.
Silva will be allowed to move this summer, the report states, but only if Benfica receives a transfer fee equal to what Liverpool paid the Portuguese outfit for Darwin Nunez. He too is valued at £85m.
While Liverpool will not consider paying that much for the 20-year-old, clubs in Portugal often let their stars go for less than their release clauses (Luis Diaz being one such example). If the Reds could get a discount on the price, it could be worth paying but otherwise there might be better value elsewhere.
Liverpool are also ‘increasing the pressure’ for Porto midfield star Alan Varela ahead of the summer window opening, according to the Italian reporter Rudy Galletti. The Reds are supposedly set to ‘start negotiations’ over a transfer for the player soon.
Varela, who will represent Argentina at this summer’s Olympic Games in Paris, has a release clause worth £60m written into his contract. Porto would demand the full sum in order to let the 22-year-old go.
