Arne Slot has been warned his job is not safe if Liverpool do not qualify for next season’s Champions League, but that hasn’t stopped the Reds from making a head start on their summer transfer plans.
Slot in danger of sack if Reds don’t make top five
Slot accepts his side’s performance in the last-gasp win at Nottingham Forest was “the worst we’ve played”.
Liverpool looked woefully out of sorts at the City Ground, with Jamie Carragher describing their first-half display as a “horror show”.
Yet they left with the three points after Alexis Mac Allister pounced deep into stoppage time, minutes after he had a goal ruled out by VAR.
Slot knows his side did not deserve the three points as they were overrun by Forest, but felt they were due some luck.
“The first half was really poor, the worst we’ve played until now, I think. But the second half was much better, we controlled the game much more.
“The performance was, especially in the first half, not as good as we’ve had so many times this season. But we’ve been on the wrong side of the score after a good performance far too many times and today, I think we got more than we deserved.
“A draw would have been a fairer result than for us to win it.”
The win put the Reds level on points with Chelsea, who dropped points at home to Burnley, and there are suggestions Slot will be under the microscope from Liverpool’s owners if the club do not secure a place in Europe’s premier competition after a lavish summer.
Whether the Dutchman is in charge next season or not, Richard Hughes wants to refresh the wide options in the squad this summer, with progress now made towards their marquee arrival.
Tottenham star debating exit as Chelsea and Liverpool eye move with new contract talks put on ice
The north Londoners could lose him this summer.
Liverpool close to personal terms agreement with Yan Diomande
Having held regular talks with his representatives in recent months, Liverpool are now nearing an agreement with RB Leipzig sensation Yan Diomande, Football FanCast sources understand.
A source said: “They’ve been working on this since before the January window, but there was never an option to make it happen in January.
“They think this is the future best winger in the world and are willing to go near their transfer record again to make it happen this summer.”
Liverpool’s current record signing is £125m for Alexander Isak, who has been unable to make the desired impact at Anfield so far due to a lower leg injury.
|
Rank |
Player |
Fee |
Signed from |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
Alexander Isak |
£125m |
Newcastle |
|
2 |
Florian Wirtz |
£116m |
Bayer Leverkusen |
|
3 |
Virgil van Dijk |
£75m |
Southampton |
|
4 |
Hugo Ekitike |
£69m |
Frankfurt |
|
5 |
Alisson |
£67m |
Roma |
Cody Gakpo has left fans frustrated so far this season while Mohamed Salah’s powers are waning, and the 19 year-old Diomande can play on either flank.
With eight goals and five assists to his name in the Bundesliga this season, Diomande’s pace, trickery and end product would inject new life into Liverpool’s attack for years to come.
