New Liverpool boss Arne Slot spoke to the press ahead of his first competitive match in charge of the Reds at newly promoted Ipswich on Saturday lunchtime; the Dutchman answered questions on the club's lack of transfer activity this summer and whether his side are weaker than last season
Friday 16 August 2024 15:01, UK
New Liverpool head coach Arne Slot spoke on a range of topics ahead of his Reds managerial debut at Ipswich Town, with transfers - or lack of them - player contracts, why the team is just as strong as last season and preparing for an 'intense' Premier League all covered by the Dutchman in his pre-match press conference.
Slot will take his place in the visitors' dugout at Portman Road on Saturday lunchtime as Liverpool kick off the 2024/25 top-flight season against newly-promoted Ipswich, with the man who has taken over from Jurgen Klopp looking to become the first Reds boss in the Premier League era to win his maiden game in charge of the club.
Slot's side have enjoyed an encouraging pre-season, with impressive wins against Arsenal and Manchester United on the summer tour of the United States, but those eye-catching victories will count for nothing if they slip up in their opening game in East Anglia.
Not surprisingly, the 45-year-old was quizzed on the club's lack of transfer activity so far this summer - Liverpool are the only Premier League team not to have brought in any players in during the close season - and in particular, their failure to persuade holding midfielder Martin Zubimendi to leave Real Sociedad for Anfield.
Meanwhile, Slot also fielded questions on the futures of captain Virgil van Dijk, vice-captain Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mohamed Salah, all of whose contracts run out at the end of the season, before turning his attention to the challenge of a trip to Portman Road this weekend…
Slot said he was happy with the squad he inherited from his predecessor Jurgen Klopp:
"I've said many times already our squad is really strong and it's not easy to find players who can help us or strengthen the squad.
"Zubimendi was one of them to be fair, but he decided not to come. We go forward with the ones we have. We are in a good place.
"In the background Richard [Hughes] is trying to strengthen the squad as he can, unfortunately Zubimendi decided not to come.
"He did every effort and tried everything to bring him in but if a player doesn't want to come, it's obvious he's not coming."
Slot insisted his side have not been weakened by a lack of signings this summer:
"That argument I don't understand. If you don't strengthen the team you become weaker?
"That's a bit weird as normally you'd either stay the same or I truly believe on the training ground you can help players and teams to improve.
"That's what happened here in recent years. The training ground really helped the team improve.
"Maybe what you mean is that if the clubs around you do strengthen their team then maybe they become better, but it's not always true that if you bring in new players the team becomes stronger."
Slot stated signings will only be made if they can improve the squad and while the search continues, he believes he can bring the best out of the existing group:
"We are always talking here about transfers, but it's positive that we have kept our players.
"I also believe in general that every player in the team needs to have perspective on playing time and if you keep bringing players in, then sometimes the energy in the group goes down as well.
"We are in a good place at the moment - Jurgen left the team in a good place and we are trying to build from there.
"Last season they won a trophy with this team - we are aiming for the same this season. It's not going to be easy as there are a lot of strong teams in the Premier League who have strengthened their squad, but we are looking forward to the challenge."
Slot claimed Alexander-Arnold was able to play as both a right-back and in midfield:
"A position is always related to the team. Trent is known as a right full-back all his life and as a midfielder as a youngster.
"You see him going into midfield at times and in midfield at the Euros, so he is capable of playing both positions really good, so it is up to me to decide."
However, Slot was tight-lipped when it came to discussing the futures of Alexander-Arnold, Van Dijk and Salah:
"I don't think this is the place to talk about contracts, but I can assure you they [Alexander-Arnold, Van Dijk and Salah] are in the squad tomorrow [Saturday]."
Slot was adamant that despite recent reports linking Luis Diaz with a move to Man City or Barcelona this summer, the Colombia forward would be staying at Anfield this season:
"When I walked in, Sky Sports was on the screen and I asked, 'Is the whole day just about talking about football?!'
"It's no surprise I hear speculation about [Luis] Diaz. Is there anyone's future we don't talk about?
"His future is with us. I like a lot of what I saw. He has had a big impact on Liverpool and I hope he has one for the coming season."
Slot on what his side need to do to help Darwin Nunez score more goals this season:
"We bring him [Nunez] as much as we can into scoring positions [to help him score more goals this season].
"Everyone benefits from the team performance. If everyone can bring the attackers into dangerous positions, then these players will score goals.
"We have even scored goals out of smaller chances in pre-season, so it is up to us to bring Darwin or Diogo [Jota], or other attackers into promising positions.
"Then he like the others will score goals..."
Slot on what to expect from his debut managerial campaign in the Premier League:
"For me the pre-season games meant something as it was important to prepare the team for the Premier League.
"Now we start against a promoted team who have done so well under their manager so now we get ready.
"It's not harder than preparing for a team who were in the Premier League for 22 years, we have seen their games from last season and pre-season.
"It is true a newly-promoted club has a lot of positivity, but everyone has told me that every game in the Premier League is intense and that is what we expect tomorrow as well.
"A promoted team who only has had positives, they are looking forward to it, but so are we."
