Liverpool kicked off their pre-season tour in Asia with a 4-2 loss against AC Milan. Results do not matter in pre-season, of course, but it is interesting to see the likes of Florian Wirtz in action.
The attacking midfielder, who joined the Reds from Bayer Leverkusen for a British-record £116m fee in June, was all neat flicks and cute turns and intelligent one-twos. The German maestro is the real deal, all right, and could be the difference-maker as Arne Slot looks to defend his Premier League title while chasing glory across other fronts.
Hugo Ekitike didn’t feature, for he only played out his first training session with his new club on Friday, having finalised his £79m move from Eintracht Frankfurt earlier in the week.
You can be sure to expect the Frenchman’s participation in the weeks ahead. Though in what capacity remains to be seen, with the Reds chasing a deal for Alexander Isak, who has informed Newcastle United that he wants to sign for the Merseysiders.
However, one player who won’t be taking part is Joe Gomez, who has been dealt another cruel injury blow and has been forced to head home.
Liverpool's defensive situation
Jarell Quansah was sold to Bayer Leverkusen for £35m last month, thinning out Slot’s backline. In Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate, Liverpool have an elite pairing, but little else in the way of depth.
However, Gomez does have a chance to shine at the rear next year, having been utilised centrally by Slot last term after principal full-back displays across Jurgen Klopp’s final term.
Well, that was the case until the England international had to withdraw from Liverpool’s summer camp due to what has been reported as a ‘minor Achilles injury’.
There’s no doubt that this blow exacerbates Liverpool’s comparatively frail defensive depth, and may well see sporting director Richard Hughes forge ahead with plans to sign Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi.
Liverpool emerged as leading contenders for Guehi in June, with Fabrizio Romano confirming the Anfield side’s interest in the centre-back.
With just one year left on his current deal, the Reds are optimistic that they can sign the 25-year-old in a cut-price £40m package. Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur are also keen.
Why Liverpool must sign Marc Guehi
It’s funny that Liverpool have spent so heavily this summer and yet still feel fragile and thin at the back.
And with the non-committal Konate entering the final year of his £70k-per-week deal, and with Real Madrid hoping to snap him up, it feels crucial that the Reds add a player of Guehi’s quality to their ranks.
The one-time Chelsea prospect has made quite the name for himself at Selhurst Park, playing 132 games in the Premier League and winning the FA Cup last season, keeping a clean sheet against Manchester City in the final.
Liverpool need a centre-back, but Guehi isn’t any old defender. He’s perfect for Slot’s expressive yet composed system, hailed by analyst Ben Mattinson as “England’s best player” at the 2024 European Championship and described as a “monster in defence” by reporter Bobby Manzi.
Indeed, as per FBref, Guehi ranked among the top 9% of centre-backs across Europe’s top five leagues last season for goal contributions, the top 12% for shot-creating actions, the top 2% for through balls and the top 20% for successful take-ons per 90.
Shot-creating actions are pieces of play that lead to a shot. These include moments such as a pass, take-on or foul being drawn.
The 6 foot titan, not the tallest, made up for his so-called weakness in regard to stature by winning 63% of his ground duels in the Premier League last term, as per Sofascore, underscoring the kind of first-class defending Slot would be welcoming to his ranks.
There’s even a case to be made for Guehi being a more important signing than Isak.
Make no mistake, the Sweden forward is a world-class player. Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher even said that he was “the best striker in the Premier League” last season, and it’s praise that many would agree with.
Mohamed Salah, as is so often the case in the record books, was the only man to have outscored Isak in the league last year, and the Newcastle man played just 31 matches altogether, bespeaking his clinical style.
Now, while Isak would prove an incredible, level-raising signing, have Liverpool not already added Ekitike to their ranks? Data-led site FBref even reveal that the Newcastle man is one of Ekitike’s most statistically comparable players.
And with Liverpool already such a devastating attacking force, the French forward is in the perfect place to foster his burgeoning skills.
1.
Liverpool
1st
80
2.
Man City
4th
66
3.
Newcastle
3rd
65
4.
Arsenal
2nd
63
5.
Tottenham
16th
62
However, Liverpool are but a Van Dijk injury away from disaster at the back, and it would be inconceivable to enter the fresh campaign, primed to defend their title, having sold themselves short in spite of such heavy spending.
That’s why Guehi’s signature could prove such an important one for Slot’s vision. Gomez simply isn’t reliable enough to serve as the skipper and Konate’s deputy, having missed the entire second half of the 2024/25 campaign with a hamstring injury; he returned in May but failed to make it off the bench.
Liverpool know that they need to get their purse out once again this summer, turning away from the spending up front and fashioning a complete and deep defensive line.
There are many centre-halves who could make a difference, but Guehi would be the pick of the bunch, and he might even prove a more important signing than Isak when the campaign is well and truly underway.
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