Arne Slot just hinted at Liverpool masterplan and how he plans to recreate Mohamed Salah

Arne Slot spoke this week about a trait of Hugo Ekitike's that made him enticing to sign this summer, in another hint of where Liverpool is heading with its rebuild

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot.(Image: Giuseppe Bellini/Getty Images)

Arne Slot spent much of his first season in charge winning, but insisting that he still had work to do in order to mold Liverpool into the exact style he envisioned to get the best out of his players.

In his second campaign at the helm, he has been so busy attempting to put out fires and find solutions that can address a worrying slide, he hasn't really had the time for such a luxury.

Of the new players, only Hugo Ekitike settled quickly. Florian Wirtz, it can be stated now, is getting up to speed and edging closer to where he wants to be, and Milos Kerkez has looked more comfortable of late.

Moving forward, though, things will only settle even more. Alexander Isak will be out for a lengthy spell, but he should return to a group of players around him who know each other much better.

In the next few months — as long as it is not too early to assume that the dire run of results and performances of a few weeks ago is now over — we should begin to see more of the masterplan.

And given the lack of depth in certain areas of the pitch, there is more work still to be done in the transfer market too.

Arne Slot and some of his Liverpool coaches look on during a training session.(Image: Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

"He belongs to the fastest players we have," Slot told Sky Sports this week, speaking about Ekitike. "That was one of the things I wanted to add to this team: incredible pace.

"I see many of the top teams have one, two or three individuals [who] have pace that is exceptional.

"Of course we faced PSG last season where we had to face Ousmane Dembele, Bradley Barcola, Desire Doue; all of these incredibly fast players. So, that is what we've tried to add with him."

There is a need for more speed in the Liverpool ranks, though. Mohamed Salah — a player who will have to be recreated in the aggregate at some point soon — is not as quick as he once was, while Cody Gakpo has never been a fast mover.

Isak, though he hasn't shown it much in a Liverpool jersey yet, can be quick across the ground, but Wirtz's brain is more rapid than his legs. Rio Ngumoha is truly electric, but he is not 18 until August.

It is interesting that Slot once again mentioned PSG — a team that clearly made a big impression on him, but also a side that usually plays without a proper number nine.

It would also be fair to say that acceleration is more important than pure speed in the Premier League (at least for a top team). With low blocks to break down, there isn't much behind to run into.

Clearly, however, that is the way that Slot sees his Liverpool side going. And with Isak out, we're going to see even more of the man who was brought in to send the team in that direction.