Liverpool manager Arne Slot believes he inherited a competitive squad from Jurgen Klopp
Liverpool manager Arne Slot met the media ahead of his team first EPL match against Ipswich Town on Saturday, 17th August 2024. The Reds manager spoke on player contacts, failed transfers and how he intends to take Liverpool to the next level.
Speaking on contracts and transfers Arne Slot had these to say: “I don’t think this the place for contracts but I can assure you they are in the squad for tomorrow”
“Our squad is really strong and it is not so easy to find players who can help us. Zubimendi was one of them to be fair but he decided not to come. We go forward with the ones we have – we are in a good place. Richard is trying to strengthen the squad.”
“That argument I don’t understand. If you don’t strengthen, you come weaker? The training ground really helps the team to improve. It is not always true that if you bring in new players, the team becomes stronger. Like I said many times, we are trying to strengthen.”
Arne Slot’s Liverpool led by Richard Hughes saw their bid for Spanish international Martin Zubimendi rejected by the Spaniard after a lengthy and several attempts to get Zubimendi to sign for the Reds.
“I said many times already our squad is really strong and it’s not easy to strengthen, we go forwards with the ones we have, we’re in a good place, in the background Richard is working really hard.”
Slot spoke about what excites him most and the feeling of managing his first Premier League in charge as a manager of Liverpool.
“As a manager, wherever you are, you try to do the same thing. Fortunately for me and my playing style, the players already knew. That gives me and my staff a lot of energy. The players are really buying into it.”
“Excited of course. It’s always a nice feeling to start the season because this is what you’ve worked for, for the past few weeks”
The manager also spoke on the squad highlighting the fact that Jurgen Klopp did a great job leaving the team in a very good place. He also spoke on the need for the squad to stay together despite losing Thiago, Matip and Adrian.
“We lost Thiago, Matip and Adrian but the rest of the squad stayed together.
Jurgen left the team in a good place.”
Arne Slot: “If I am here for three, four, five, six, seven years I will always give the same answer – there are always things to improve.”
Arne Slot: “How far are we? We don’t everything, we don’t actually change that much. It would be perfect after 4-5-6 weeks you are close to perfection, it’s very hard to get to perfect but some players are here only 10-12 days. There are still a lot of things to improve.”
Arne Slot also went on to speak about calls from fans and pundits to play Trent Alexander-Arnold in midfield by quickly stating that Trent is a right full back and that’s where he is expected to play.
“Trent is known for playing as a right full back for all his life. In the modern game we see a lot of full backs going into the midfield, I saw him doing that in the Euros. He is capable of playing both positions really good.”
Rumors about Liverpool losing Luis Diaz to Manchester City was also shrugged off by the gaffer as he assured fans of the Columbian’s commitment to the team.
“His future is with us because I like a lot of what I’ve seen in the last 10 days he’s in.”
The Reds begin their chase for another English Premier League trophy at the Portman Road stadium in Ipswich Town.
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