As Liverpool’s Premier League season comes to an end at Southampton on Sunday afternoon, the 52nd and final game of a challenging campaign is now in full view.
Jurgen Klopp’s team is returning to the Europa League, barring a collapse by Manchester United, which would require them to lose both games against Chelsea and Fulham at home this week.
The Reds’ season hasn’t exactly gone as planned, but they are at least approaching its conclusion in good spirits after winning seven of their last 10 games in a row without losing.
In his most recent Liverpool Notebook, Paul Gorst provides you with the off-diary tidbits from around Anfield ahead of the final day.
It was interesting to see Jurgen Klopp acknowledge in his Friday press conference last week that the Reds are looking to add to their roster this summer, specifically at center-back.
Prior to Saturday’s match against Aston Villa, when asked if defenders were also being looked for, Klopp told reporters at the club’s AXA Training Centre: “We look in all departments aside from goalkeeper at the moment. I wouldn’t disagree if there was a good (center-back) one available. That’s all there is to it. Undoubtedly, we inspect every part of the pitch. “.
Levi Colwill, who made an impression for a high-flying Brighton team this season in his 15 Premier League appearances, has fans at Liverpool. Colwill, who is just 20 years old, has tremendous potential, but the fact that he will return to Chelsea at the end of the current campaign and Brighton’s own willingness to make that deal permanent as they prepare to compete in the Europa League themselves the following year both present difficulties.
Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi stated this week, “I hope [Colwill] can play with us also next year, but it’s his decision and the decision of Chelsea.”.
I’m not sure.
Although Levi is undoubtedly a top player for us, we must be prepared to change some players. “.
The typical profile of those under consideration for potential center-back additions this summer may be young defenders with significant experience who won’t necessarily consume a significant portion of the transfer budget. The midfield is still the top priority.
Liverpool’s players will enjoy some well-deserved time off the field in June after a demanding season, but those in the background may have a busy few weeks ahead of them.
On July 8, the players will return to preseason practice at the AXA Centre. However, it is hoped that most of the summer transfer business will have been wrapped up by then. Klopp is eager to seal the deals as soon as possible.
Of course, there are a number of variables that can affect the negotiation times, but in a perfect world, the Liverpool manager would have his new players report for preseason training before a taxing training camp in Germany and a trip to Singapore for business purposes.
Last year, Liverpool moved swiftly to ensure that Calvin Ramsay, Fabio Carvalho, and Darwin Nunez were all hired before the start of preseason, and this time around, the Reds intend to reorganize their midfield ranks. So those in charge of recruiting can expect a busy June.
Prior to Nunez’s capture from Benfica in the middle of June, Carvalho was almost entirely finalized in February after a deal fell through in the final moments of the 2022 January transfer window. Ramsay soon after did so. Ramsay was kept back due to an injury discovered during his medical, leaving Carvalho and Nunez to travel to Thailand and Singapore.
Mason Mount is about to walk in.
A more intimate and private event on Sunday was just as moving as the emotional send-off for Roberto Firmino on Saturday, which also included James Milner, Naby Keita, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
Firmino first met with a small number of fans at the location of the new mural honoring him on Rockfield Road, where he posed for photos, signed autographs, and generally soaked up the praise and acclaim for the final time. He then met with his coworkers and their families for a more personal and intimate farewell.
Before being serenaded by his teammates to Si Senor, Jordan Henderson delivered speeches inside one of Anfield’s hospitality suites along with manager Jurgen Klopp.
