Revealed: Slot's plans for Liverpool improvement

Arne Slot added just one player to his squad this summer but believes he can squeeze more out of the players he inherited.

Photo: IMAGO | Anfield Index

The transfer window has slammed shut with Liverpool making just one addition to their squad for the coming season in Federico Chiesa.

It is a summer that will no doubt be considered a disappointment by many supporters, primarily because the club’s neverending search for a holding midfielder was cruelly extended once again by a Martin Zubimendi U-turn. 

However, suggestions that the Reds’ lack of business means they have no chance of showing improvement across the coming campaign should be given short shrift.

That is certainly not how Arne Slot sees things, with the Dutchman and his staff instead believing there are plenty of tweaks they can make to ensure Jurgen Klopp’s good work is built on.

Here is a look at the areas they are understood to be targeting in a bid to squeeze even more out of a talented squad.

Player availability

Fitness issues had become something of a theme of the latter stages of Klopp’s Anfield reign, playing a key role in what was a disastrous 2022-23 campaign as well as the collapse of last season’s title charge.

According to data from Premier Injuries, Liverpool suffered 35 time-loss injuries over the course of the previous season, resulting in 156 missed games in total.

And, though these problems created the conditions for ‘Klopp’s Kids’ to claim an unforgettable win over Chelsea at Wembley, they were also clearly a key factor in the Reds’ inability to keep pace with Manchester City and Arsenal. 

The Liverpool hierarchy hope that Slot and his lead physical performance coach Ruben Peeters can reproduce the strong availability record they boasted at Feyenoord and get the likes of Diogo Jota and Ibrahima Konate on the pitch more frequently. 

The fact is, the injury crises of recent seasons simply aren’t sustainable, and there are points to be gained from having your best players available more often than not.