Arne Slot confirms Liverpool transfer plan as Reds miss out on £50m top target

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has warned he will only sign players this summer if they meet the ‘really high’ standards set by his squad.

The Dutchman succeeded Jurgen Klopp in June and has run the rule over his squad in pre-season, with some impressive performances putting the Reds in good shape ahead of the new season.

The Merseyside club remain the only team not to make a single signing this summer, however, with sporting director Richard Hughes still assessing potential transfer targets.

But Slot revealed the difficulty he has experienced in identifying players who are both available and can provide an opportunity to improve on his current team.

“The bar is really high for new signings because we have so many good players so it is not so easy to first find a player to meet those standards and then is he available?” The Dutchman said.

“Then we have to find an agreement with them, so it is not always easy to find a player who can help us but Richard is working hard on it and let’s see what comes from this.”

Liverpool missed out on Leny Yoro, who joined Manchester United, and have since been linked with a move for Eintracht Frankfurt’s Willian Pacho.

The Ecuadorian has emerged as their top target to add some depth to their backline to support Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate. However, PSG are reportedly poised to wrap up a deal for the 22-year-old.

Fabrizio Romano reports the Ligue 1 champions have struck a ‘verbal agreement’ with the German club in a £34.3m deal plus add-ons, as well as tying up personal terms.

Slot’s selection choices indicate he could be in the market for a defensive midfielder after dropping Wataru Endo for their last two friendlies. The Japanese, 31, was a target for Marseille but Liverpool turned down a £12m bid in July for the Japan international.

But the 45-year-old insists he is willing to be patient as he doesn’t have his full squad available to him yet, while hinting that Liverpool are ‘open’ to entering the market for the right player.

“The best way to judge it is when we have all the players back and we still haven’t but a club like Liverpool always keeps its eye open to see what’s available, players that can strengthen the squad and that is what we – Richard mostly – but me as well are looking to do but that is not particular to one position,” Slot added.

“We constantly evaluate the squad where can we do something and what do we have.”