Liverpool know the importance of keeping their position in the Champions League next season, and Arne Slot‘s side will be boosted by the return of Alexander Isak to first-team training this week.
The former Newcastle talisman has fallen by the wayside since joining Anfield in a record-breaking £125m deal last summer – but he can pick himself up. This is one of Europe’s star forwards, a player who Jamie Carragher hailed as “the best striker in the Premier League right now” in January 2025.
Even with Mohamed Salah leaving the club this summer, Isak’s return suggests that Anfield will roar again, but Slot needs to qualify for the Champions League.
Defensively, the Reds have left too much to be desired this season, and that could be the root cause of possible failure in their bid. It needs sorting out this summer.
Why Liverpool need to sign a centre-back
Liverpool have already signed a centre-back this year. Jeremy Jacquet will arrive from Rennes in a £60m deal. The 20-year-old is tipped for big things, and he will challenge the injured Giovanni Leoni, 19, for a starting role next season.
Whether Ibrahima Konate will be part of that contest remains to be seen. Konate still hasn’t signed a new contract with the Reds, and while FSG retain faith that a deal can be done, time is undoubtedly running out.
Perhaps that’s why sporting director Richard Hughes has set his sights on Juventus centre-half Gleison Bremer, with Italian outlet TuttoMercatoWeb revealing that Liverpool could sign the Brazilian defender this summer due to a €54m (equating to £47m) buyout clause.
The Old Lady value their prized possessions, and they don’t want to sell. However, it could be out of their hands due to that release clause, ensuring Liverpool will need to act quickly, as Tottenham Hotspur are also interested.
That said, Reds are said to have been showing interest ‘first and foremost’ in 2024, with it yet to be seen if they will act on that prior admiration.
Liverpool could break their structure for Bremer
Bremer is one of Italian football’s most impressive defenders. Hailed as a “monster” of a defender by analyst Ben Mattinson, he is big and bold on the ball, combative when chasing down a forward played through on goal, their name ahead of them in lights.
He has played 115 times for Juventus since joining them from city rivals Torino, and though he has featured in the lion’s share of fixtures this season, injuries have stifled him over the years.
Bremer is 29 years old. In that, he does not align with FSG’s structure when planning for the future. However, there are exceptions to the rule.
Indeed, signing an older player like Bremer isn’t typically Liverpool’s way. FSG’s model focuses on developing up-and-coming talent, shaping rough shapes into diamonds. The likes of Jacquet and Leoni both bear testament to that.
However, take the £25m signing of Thiago Alcantara from Bayern Munich in 2020. The renowned Spanish mastero joined as a bona fide superstar, someone who had cemented himself with Barcelona and then the German giants. His passing and effortless intelligence in the middle of the park was something that Liverpool had not seen before, and have not seen since.
However, injuries were the bane of the retired Red’s career, and he struggled to meet the intensity of the Premier League.
|
Thiago’s Premier League Career with Liverpool |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Season |
Apps |
Minutes |
|
23/24 |
1 |
5′ |
|
22/23 |
18 |
1,256′ |
|
21/22 |
25 |
1,537′ |
|
20/21 |
24 |
1,858′ |
But this was a player of the highest class, and he had a positive effect on the fluency and progression of Liverpool’s build-up structure. Bremer could enjoy a similar impact, a guiding light for the younger defenders to follow.
He was described as “world-class” by CBS Sports commentator Matteo Bonetti several years back, and as Liverpool look to draw the next wave of up-and-coming talent to the fore, perhaps Bremer’s presence would be ideal in Slot’s backline – especially if Konate leaves this summer.
Sometimes, it can help to think about things pragmatically in football – and FSG are masterful pragmatists.
Bremer’s arrival could end up paying dividends for an Anfield side in transition. His experience and quality are reminiscent of when Thiago was signed from Bayern, and if he fares better on the injury front, he could establish himself as a mainstay over the next few years.
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