Big summer ahead as Jurgen Klopp looks to get Liverpool back on track

“What I would like to ask for: trust us. We feel really responsible for what’s happening here and we will do absolutely everything to have a season, in the best possible understanding, we will never forget. That’s the plan.”

And that’s how we shift our attention to Jurgen Klopp and his plans to take Liverpool back to where they belong.

Under Klopp, the Reds experienced massive success, and heartbreaks at the same time. This has been arguably their best phase in the modern era since the halcyon days of Shankly, Paisley, and Dalglish.

Klopp is the x-factor. He is the one who transformed the club when they were stooping to mediocrity. Gradually, he turned the Reds from “doubters to believers” and won the Premier League and the Champions League title as well. Liverpool reached three Champions League finals under him. If the club need to put their “trust” in any single person — it’s him.

After coming close to winning the Premier League and the Champions League in 2021/22, Liverpool lost their typical winning spark surprisingly last season, failing to make it to the top four. It came as a shock for everyone. Given what Klopp has done for the club, and considering his managerial credentials, it can be seen as a blip.

The players failed to maintain their high standards and performed well below their expectations. It became increasingly apparent that the squad needs a massive overhaul this summer. You can already buy tickets for Liverpool’s opening game against Chelsea but supports will be expecting a new-look team when they line-up at Stamford Bridge on August 13th.

Overhaul

To be honest, nobody saw that coming. After signing Darwin Nunez and Fabio Carvalho, the Reds gave the impression that they are ready to match Manchester City toe to toe once again. While City reached a new height, thanks to their goal machine Erling Haaland, Liverpool seemed like a club that are gradually fading away.

Diogo Jota struggled with injuries once again, while Nunez only showed his brilliance in flashes. In January Cody Gakpo joined the side and he did impress at times. Klopp probably will demand more consistency from him this season.

There were times when Liverpool looked ruthless. They defeated Manchester United 7-0 at Anfield and defeated Leeds 6-1 at Elland Road. But the consistency was lacking. They lost 1-0 against Bournemouth, 3-0 against Wolves, and 3-1 against Brentford — games they were expected to win.

Last season also saw Klopp coming up with a plan to get the best use of Trent Alexander-Arnold who struggled badly at right-back. Klopp found a way to bring him in midfield and from there on, they looked a different side.

The defeat against Real Madrid in the Champions League sent a clear message that a massive redevelopment is needed. Klopp has been heavily criticized by pundits last season for showing way too much loyalty to some of his players who are not serving him well.

The Reds made some bold decisions and they parted ways with fan favourite and club legend Roberto Firmino. Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain also left the club following the expiry of their contracts. James Milner also left the club after serving the club for seven years.

The finance is a big issue for Liverpool, especially after missing out on Champions League football. But it can work wonders in their favour. The first priority will be to challenge for the title once again. While there will be Europa League to focus on, in all probability, Klopp will give chances to young players in cup games in the group stages.

The senior players will probably get adequate rest and Klopp will get ample time to prepare well in the Premier League. The summer transfer window is absolutely vital for the club, and they are determined to come up with a strong squad ahead of the new campaign.

The departures of three midfielders left a big hole in midfield and it became evident that the Reds will look to sign at least two or three midfielders this summer. They have been linked with a move for a host of midfielders, including Declan Rice and Moises Caicedo, but considering Liverpool’s budgets, those deals were never going to happen.

The Reds moved for Caicedo’s teammate instead, Alexis MacAllister. The Argentine was superb during the World Cup in Qatar and the Reds snapped him up early. He will bring creativity in the middle of the park.

Liverpool also didn’t waste to sign Hungarian midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai from RB Leipzig. He is seen as a perfect #8 and will look to emulate the great Steven Gerrard at Anfield.

Shock exits

It was all going smoothly for the Reds, but then came the Saudi invasion. Gerrard’s Al-Ettifaq have reached an agreement to sign Liverpool’s skipper Jordan Henderson and the club chose to let him go as well.

Henderson joined the club as a youngster from Sunderland and won six trophies at the club. He was an inspiration for the Reds, both on and off the pitch. However, the Saudi club presented him with a life-changing £700k-per-week offer. At 33, he won’t get a better chance to increase his salary at this rate.

He is a leader in the true sense, and the entire club will miss him. Likewise, Fabinho, the Brazilian midfielder, could be on his way out of the club as well. In fact, Liverpool had no plans to offload Fabinho this summer, but such is the club’s condition at the moment, they are ready to take a gamble.

The Reds need to sign at least one more midfielder, with Carvalho out on loan and seemingly not in Klopp’s long-term plans. They have been heavily linked with a move for Romeo Lavia while Ryan Gravenberch has been targeted as well.

But Klopp is pinning hopes on two homegrown players – Stefan Bajcetic and Curtis Jones. Both these players have struggled with injuries last season, but their talents are undeniable. If they can step up, the decision to offload both Henderson and Fabinho will be vindicated.

The German boss is hopeful that Liverpool can sign more players before the window closes. Klopp look to sign a new centre-back if possible and another top-quality striker to replace the void left by Firmino.

This is the first time under Klopp, Liverpool are going through major rebuilding work. It happens to every manager when they stay at a club for a long time. Sir Alex Ferguson made sure that his squad stayed fresh all the time, and made some ruthless calls in his long career.

It’s a blow for any club to lose their talisman skipper, but one could feel that Liverpool would still be alright. That’s the aura Klopp has built around him — as long as he is there, fans believe that anything is possible.

It’s too early to say whether Liverpool can challenge for the title, but they would be a strong force once again if the club can sign three or four top-quality players in the coming weeks.