Liverpool confirmed on Wednesday the appointment of Richard Hughes as their original carrying director. He’s got somewhat the job on his arms at Anfield, arriving at a degree of enormous swap with Michael Edwards as his FSG overlord.
There’s one urgent voice at the top of his in-tray, and we’ve begun there in 5 recommendations of things for Hughes to carry out this summer season.
Derive Xabi Alonso
Hughes is identified to be a immense fan of Roberto De Zerbi; he wished to appoint the Italian as Bournemouth manager following Scott Parker’s departure in 2022, accurate for a lengthen in the swap of ownership at the membership to allow Brighton to grab a march and stable his signature.
That may per chance well even merely give the present third favourite a leg up in the working, but at this level – such is the fashionable conviction from followers and pundits that Xabi Alonso is the man for Liverpool – the leisure a kind of than the appointment of the Bayer Leverkusen boss will surely feel esteem a failure.
That puts Hughes in a certainly complicated location, as it’s unexcited no longer optimistic whether or no longer Alonso wants to flow away Leverkusen, or whether or no longer he would rather create the likelihood-averse switch to Bayern Munich.
Hughes does know Alonso’s agent, Inaki Ibanez, as he additionally represents Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola, giving him a clear and presumably amicable line of attack.
It’s claimed Edwards will consult with Hughes over the appointment, however the original CEO ‘is no longer going to micromanage the original incumbent’. No stress.
As soon as a original manager’s in attach there’s additionally the no longer-insignificant matter of hiring them a original backroom personnel. He certainly does catch loads on his plate.
READ: Original Liverpool director Richard Hughes’ greatest switch choices consist of Mings and Ramsdale sales
Mohamed Salah sale
34 targets and assists this season, at a rate of 1 each 67 minutes, without apparently breaking a sweat, Salah has been unbiased appropriate. Again. He stays Liverpool’s most influential ahead and that would seemingly unexcited be the case next season, however the Saudi gold – which is in a location to be supplied again this summer season – may per chance well even merely well be extra precious, if no longer for immediate gains, then in the prolonged bustle.
Salah’s out of contract in the summer season of 2025, at which level Liverpool would lose him totally free. The alternative choice would be to lengthen the Egyptian’s deal beyond his 33rd birthday, which appears no longer in point of fact given Edwards’ reticence to provide original offers to older players was one of many reasons he left the membership last time around.
With FFP now a real situation and Hughes presumably attempting to grant Alonso, or whomever else, a first rate switch kitty of their first switch window at the helm, Salah’s sale to Saudi Arabia feels esteem an even and clear-slash ability to preserve a long way from sanctions while allowing a original manager to set their catch impress on the squad.
READ: Harvey Elliott may per chance well even merely never be accurate ample for England and we would well even merely unexcited all be very cosy about that
Original contracts
Trent Alexander-Arnold and Virgil van Dijk are the 2 a kind of players with contracts expiring at the cessation of next season.
An extension for Alexander-Arnold is a no brainer, given he’s bloody unbiased appropriate and the prolonged bustle Liverpool captain. Fresh skipper Van Dijk’s return to red-hot originate this season has confirmed how principal he stays, however the query for Hughes and Liverpool will seemingly be whether or no longer they want to provide him a original deal or allow his contract to bustle down, together with his sell-on rate seemingly to be minimal given he’ll be 34 by the time his present deal expires.
The difficulty may per chance well even merely then be whether or no longer Van Dijk is willing to follow no security or rate a switch in other places this summer season, at which level he won’t catch a shortage of takers. Jarrell Quansah may per chance well even carry out with at least one other season of his stewardship.
Ibrahima Konate and Caoimhin Kelleher’s contracts are up in 2026, so Hughes may per chance well even merely well additionally want to set in mind striking original offers on the desk for them, with the mature presumably earmarked as a Liverpool starter for years to advance and the latter proving this season that he may per chance well even merely well catch what it takes to take over from Alisson when the time comes.
READ MORE: The ten most interesting players of the 2023/24 Premier League season up to now
Jamal Musiala
“Musiala is a kind of,” claimed Liverpool expert Neil Jones when asked about the membership’s rumoured pastime in a alternative of Bayern Munich players. They’re anticipated to give Joshua Kimmich a “huge berth” while Serge Gnabry and Leroy Sane, at 29 and 28 respectively, aren’t anticipated to be excessive on Hughes’ wishlist.
But Musiala is seen as a generational abilities, whom many top golf equipment will seemingly be after, and is a dribbling threat of a midfielder, in a location to fall deep, link the play, operate between the lines and fetch targets.
Dominik Szoboslai is potentially the player most identical to Musiala, however the 21-year-outdated Germany international is certainly a player Liverpool ought to be in the working for, given his already enviable abilities and terribly excessive ceiling.
READ MORE: Who may per chance be the following £100m footballer?
Original centre-inspire
If Van Dijk stays, they want one; if he goes, two. Quansah and Konate are the greatest two a kind of out-and-out centre-backs, with Joel Matip attach to flow away and Joe Gomez extra assuredly relied upon as a fat-inspire.
Klopp reportedly wished a original centre-inspire in the summer season, when all of their money went on a midfield rebuild. And the membership will hope their centre-inspire recruitment will indicate to be accurate as successful.
Leverkusen stars Piero Hincapie, Edmond Tapsoba and Jonathan Tah are all reportedly on their radar, with Alonso potentially offering extra pulling energy, while Benfica’s Antonio Silva and Carrying’s Ousmane Diomande catch additionally been linked with a switch to Anfield.
Hughes reportedly tried to snatch Van Dijk from Southampton in his time at Bournemouth. Identical switch smarts would be greatly appreciated.
READ MORE: Bayer Leverkusen stars reassigned to Premier League golf equipment after Xabi Alonso joins Liverpool