5 days ago
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Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has insisted he doesn't know whether or not his roster has been upgraded this summer, despite the Reds boss having seen his side spend just shy of $400 million (£300 million) on new stars.
Slot believes that it is too early to make any judgments on the summer, with another few weeks left until the September 1 transfer deadline. Liverpool has also changed so much of its team that it might take some time for the new signings to settle.
Asked if he feels the Liverpool squad has been upgraded, Slot replied: "That is something I can only tell you at the 1st of September, because the window is still three weeks open.
"I do feel that the players we've brought in have done already really well, as expected, because that's why we brought them in. But I cannot tell you now if these players are able to perform at the same level every three days, therefore we first have to start the season.
"I did know that Luis Diaz was able to do that, and all the other ones were able to do that. So that is another challenge in the Premier League, because we play so many games.
"And for Milos Kerkez, it's going to be his first time probably, that at this level he might have to play every three days. Florian Wirtz comes from the Bundesliga, where he was used to playing every three or four days.
"But we have to ask him in two months if the intensity levels of the Premier League are comparable with the Bundesliga. So in terms of talent and the quality we've brought in, we see that we have a very good team again.
"We have to wait and see. Will they stay fit? So the ones that have left were almost the whole season fit. [Will] all the ones that we brought in do the same?
"So there are multiple factors you need to take into account. But again, I am really happy with the players we've brought in. But we've also lost starters that have had a big impact on our title-winning season last year."
So far this summer, Liverpool has signed striker Hugo Ekitike, attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz, wing-back Jeremie Frimpong, left-back Milos Kerkez, and goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili.
But the Reds have lost regular starters Diaz and Trent Alexander-Arnold to Bayern Munich and Real Madrid respectively. Darwin Nunez is set to be sold to Al Hilal while defender Jarell Quansah went to Bayer Leverkusen.
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Slot knew what he was getting from Diaz and co, but there is more unknown, in that sense, heading into this season. And the Liverpool boss is keen to stress the point that the Reds are not just buying, but selling too.
"What I feel is not being talked about enough — although you have to make your own decision when you talk about it — [is that] I've lost four players that have started regularly," Slot said.
"And one of them, I, we, his family, lost him. That's Diogo. Then Darwin might be on the verge of leaving. Luis Diaz was a definite starter, and Trent [Alexander-Arnold] was a definite starter.
"So normally in the Premier League, teams only buy, and never sell. We do both. We lost players in a good phase of their career. I'm used to that, and it sometimes gives new energy as well."
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