Now that the summer transfer window is done and dusted, Liverpool will feel they are in a strong position to retain the Premier League title they won so confidently under Arne Slot’s management last season.
The Reds had just parted ways with iconic manager Jurgen Klopp, and many expected his successor, who had found success with Feyenoord in the Netherlands, would fall by the wayside in keeping with comparable circumstances at Arsenal and Manchester United.
And despite opting against a trigger-happy transfer window, Slot’s Liverpool knuckled down with the options available, giving rise to new heroes such as Ryan Gravenberch in the number six role.
But now that Liverpool are at the top, they are determined to stay there, bolstering their ranks with superstars like Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak, as well as many more, including Hugo Ekitike, Isak’s rival at number nine and with three goals and an assist from his first four outings in Red.
However, it didn’t all go the way of sporting director Richard Hughes, with a deadline-day deal for Marc Guehi falling through after Crystal Palace failed to land a suitable replacement and Oliver Glasner threatened to walk.
Could it prove a significant blow for the Merseysiders?
Why Liverpool wanted Guehi
Over the past four years with Palace, Guehi has gone from strength to strength and established himself as one of the Premier League’s standout centre-backs.
Said to have been an “absolute gem” by former Reds coach Michael Beale, who also coached him during his formative years in Chelsea’s academy, from the start, it’s no surprise that Guehi’s performances for club and country over the past few years have earned Liverpool’s vested interest.
With Ibrahima Konate now in the final year of his contract at Anfield and Virgil van Dijk having turned 34 in July, it felt necessary that FSG green-lit the signing of a new centre-half, and indeed Liverpool pushed to sign Bournemouth prodigy Dean Huijsen before he signed for Real Madrid.
But Liverpool did win the race for Italy star Giovanni Leoni, who, aged 18, is regarded as one of the best defensive prospects in the world, and put pen to paper on a £30m transfer.
But Guehi would have added proven quality to the ranks, and it’s anticipated that Liverpool will return for the Three Lions star next summer.
However, maybe Liverpool’s worries would have been eased if they had kept their homegrown version of Guehi at the club this season.
Liverpool already sold their own Guehi
Much of the reasoning behind Liverpool’s decision to sell Jarell Quansah to Bayer Leverkusen in a £35m deal this summer made sense, but the centre-half had showcased his potential under Klopp, and he may yet become one of Europe’s leading defenders.
However, much of Quansah’s gains made across a brilliant breakout year in 2023/24 were undone when Slot took Klopp’s place, hooking him at half-time during the opening game of the season, a 2-0 win over newly-promoted Ipswich Town.
Slot commented post-match that Liverpool were struggling for success in the duel, but it perhaps proved a psychological blow for the up-and-comer, who thereafter was benched for 11 successive league fixtures and started only three further matches before the end of the campaign.
“First thing I said is we don’t have to speak about tactics if we lose so many duels and that was what we did. Not that Jarell lost every duel – many of us lost too many duels. But I think we needed Ibou Konate to win these long balls in the air from their No.9.”
Still, he had previously been hailed as an “absolute monster” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, and certainly boasts the range of passing and movement on the ball to emulate the style Liverpool were going for with the signing of Guehi.
Integral in winning the Carabao Cup as Klopp bowed out after nearly nine years, Quansah started regularly toward the end of the Premier League campaign, completing 89% of his passes, winning 64% of his duels, as per Sofascore, and looking very much at home alongside the redoubtable Van Dijk..
Taking that term and comparing it with Guehi’s recent effort with the Eagles, you perhaps begin to see that Liverpool might have already had their own version in the ranks.
Goals + assists
0.15
0.15
Touches
97.11
62.70
Pass completion
88.6%
83.5%
Passes attempted
88.64
51.93
Progressive passes
5.07
3.94
Progressive carries
0.98
0.65
Shot-creating actions
0.98
1.29
Ball recoveries
5.45
4.30
Tackles + interceptions
3.18
2.62
Clearances
2.95
4.80
Blocks
1.21
1.62
Aeriel duels won
3.40
2.00
Sure, Leverkusen offered a sizeable figure for the 22-year-old, and Liverpool knew his chances of consistent minutes across the season were slim, but Quansah could have played a part, allowed to develop further as his experience grew under Slot’s wing.
While he remained a fringe player throughout, the England U21 international stepped into the campaign and popped up with some big moments after the new year, especially when the Reds came under the cosh against Wolverhampton Wanderers and required some big defending.
While it would be anticipated that Guehi’s ball-playing and other more progressive metrics would increase upon leaving Palace for Liverpool, the fact that Quansah managed to showcase a proficiency in such a system makes an interesting comment on the player he could now become in the Bundesliga.
FSG will be content after inserting a €60m (£51m) buyback clause into his contract with Die Werkself, but having now missed out on Guehi, the Anfield side might look back with hindsight at having allowed a player of significant potential and similar attributes to have left earlier in the window.
Leoni is a potential superstar, but Liverpool will need to ensure they do not overburden the teenager after only a few steps on English shores.
Had Quansah, a defender who has played 58 matches for Liverpool, scoring three goals, providing three assists, and winning several titles, stayed put, Slot’s side might have that final bit of quality and depth needed as they stare at a promising season with many forks in the road.