Arne Slot names 'first aim' of Liverpool summer transfers with two additions already confirmed

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot was asked about transfers during his pre-Everton press conference, with Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson leaving and two additions already confirmed

Arne Slot during his Liverpool press conference.(Image: Liverpool FC // YouTube)

Arne Slot says Liverpool first needs to work out how it will move beyond Mohamed Salah ahead of a big summer in the transfer market where the evolution of its roster will continue.

Salah and Andy Robertson have already confirmed that they will be leaving. Slot says there are multiple potential ways of replacing the former, while Kostas Tsimikas will return from a loan spell with AS Roma to bolster the ranks at left-back.

"It takes some changes with Robbo and Mo leaving but as I said many times, the future looks very bright for us," Slot said on Friday. "I am not thinking in numbers (in terms of how many new players will be required).

"[I'm thinking in terms of] areas and which players we already know who are going to leave, and let's see what happens in the summer. You know we are a trading club, so let's first see what is actually going to happen."

"Last summer we made quite a lot of signings and that's why we traded that much," Slot continued. "In four windows since I am here, we had a net spend of £150 million ($203 million), I think. That says what kind of club we are.

"We know we are changing at least two players, but Kostas is coming back. The first aim is to see how we are acting in the position of Mo, whether we want to replace him with a similar player or do that differently.

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot during a press conference.(Image: John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

"For the rest, at this moment of time, there's not a chance of a lot of players leaving.

"Of course, there is the Ibou [Konate] contract situation. But then there might not be such a big need of trading a lot if you don't need to bring a lot of players in."

Regardless of the outcome of the Konate contract talks, Liverpool has already snapped up Jeremy Jacquet, a promising young center-back from Rennes, for a fee of around $83 million (£60 million).

While there were lots of players who were sold last summer, including the likes of Jarell Quansah and Tyler Morton, who generated big money, there are not so many obvious candidates to be cashed in on this time around.

Keeping a more stable roster would be no bad thing, though, even if Liverpool will also have to get some more work done on new contracts for that to be the case.

There was interest in Curtis Jones from Inter Milan in January, for instance, with the Scouser only tied down until the summer of 2027 as things stand.

Adding more pace and dynamism in wide areas should be a priority, while the injury to Hugo Ekitike will place more pressure on Alexander Isak to perform.

So far, the Swede has failed to show his true level as a result of arriving after missing the whole of pre-season and then breaking his leg in the act of scoring against Tottenham in December.