Liverpool “waiting for the right ones to sign,” says Arne Slot

Liverpool are just one of two Premier League clubs yet to make a signing this summer, but Arne Slot says it would be a “surprise” if the club did not add to their squad.

It has been all change at Liverpool over the last few months, but the transformation has not extended to transfers on the incoming front – it’s been desperately quiet in that respect.

The new head coach has spoken highly of the squad he inherited from his predecessor, but that will win over few when there are obvious needs to address.

In a press conference in Pittsburgh on the first stop of the tour, Slot was always going to be asked about transfers and he acknowledged that the club are “waiting for the right ones to sign.”

On the topic, he told reporters: “If you inherited a team that is really good, then it is not so easy to find players that are of the same standards or even higher.

“Especially because those [players] need to be available [to sign] as well.

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“Richard (Hughes), more than me, is working really hard on that. He keeps me updated every time and if there’s any news on that we will come to you.

“We already have a very good team, which I am really happy with, but it would be a surprise for all of us if we don’t bring any player in.

“That will probably happen in the end, but for now we’re just waiting for the players to come back [and] waiting for the right ones to sign.”

Liverpool’s obvious need is for a new defensive midfielder, but there is a desire for reinforcements in defence and attack.

How Liverpool progress on that front remains to be seen, but Slot did note the “disadvantage” of him coming in this summer is that he cannot assess a lot of his players as they are not back yet.

“The first aim is to work with these players,” he explained. “Of course, the disadvantage is that many of them aren’t here yet.

“The positive about it is that, and you know better than me that it is an important lifeline of the club that youngsters come into the team, so it is an ideal way of seeing them.

“The standards are really high when it comes to bringing in new players because we have such a good team and squad.

“Of course, Richard and I are trying to improve the squad where possible. But it’s not that easy because we have so many good players (here).”

Some good news for you is that Slot has confirmed three senior players will report back to training during the US tour, an injection of further first-team experience in the initial 28-man squad.