Liverpool is well-placed in the Premier League table, has advanced to the Carabao Cup quarter-finals, and is on pace to reach the Europa League last-16 by leading its group, which includes Toulouse, Union SG, and LASK. Jürgen Klopp’s season has been going well thus far, and the hope is that 2024 will bring plenty of trophies.
Liverpool has already been established as the favorite to win the Carabao Cup, with West Ham United up next at Anfield. That might be a significant week, with Manchester United and Arsenal in the Premier League coming up on each side of the cup encounter.
However, that is just what Liverpool desired this season. It remains to be seen whether a Premier League title challenge is realistic — it certainly feels that way — but the essential point is that the gloom that engulfed the Reds for much of last season has lifted, and the outlook is much brighter now.
So, what’s next? On the field, there are still improvements and changes to be made for Liverpool in the coming months, with further adaptations to Klopp’s team likely as it evolves.
André Trindade’s signature
Liverpool still needs an exceptional holding midfielder to allow Alexis MacAllister to play higher up the pitch after missing out on Moisés Caicedo. André of Fluminense seemed to be the ideal candidate.
The 22-year-old would be a novelty for Liverpool, since the club has rarely signed a player directly from South America. But André has experience and could be just what Klopp needs to complete his midfield overhaul.
new center-back on the left side
Another major necessity for Liverpool in terms of team improvement is a left-sided defender. With Jarell Quansah performing so well, bringing in a long-term Virgil van Dijk replacement who is mostly left-footed might be a smart idea.
It’s unclear where Liverpool’s recruitment team will look for that player. However, with Jol Matip’s contract expiring, it makes sense to make a trade if someone is available.
New talents arise
Quansah will continue to improve, and Luke Chambers is another player to keep an eye on at the back. Stefan Bajeti should not be overlooked when he returns from injury.
In attack, Ben Doak already appears to have a bright career ahead of him, and Kaide Gordon is making a comeback. Then there’s Bobby Clark, as well as some younger players like Calum Scanlon and Trey Nyoni. Trent Kone-Doherty just signed his first professional contract.
Contract decisions have been made.
Mohamed Salah is the obvious candidate, although Van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold have contracts that expire in 2025. It would seem logical that progress on all of those contract problems would be made in the following months before they enter their last year.
Salah continues to demonstrate his worth and shows no signs of slowing down, so tying down the Egyptian should be a no-brainer. As with the previous extension, replacing him will be much more expensive than extending his contract, so it also makes economic sense.
