Liverpool have enjoyed a reasonable pre-season under Arne Slot, having beaten both Arsenal and Man United on their tour of the United States.

There should arguably be enough positives already for the Dutchman to take away from those matches, and he has one more fixture – against Sevilla on August 11 – before he makes his first Premier League selection.

Though there will be names from the Jurgen Klopp era that will still be a shoo-in for Slot’s starting XI, it’s arguable that one or two places might be up for grabs.

Arne Slot zeroing in on new signing for Liverpool

A new manager can often wipe the slate clean too, and give every member of the squad a fresh start, so it’s effectively every man for himself in terms of jostling for position and being foremost in the manager’s thoughts.

Given that the Reds have been one of the quieter teams in the this summer’s transfer window too, it’s entirely possible that Slot has left things until now to give himself time to understand what he has in front of him in terms of squad depth, and where he would like to improve.

For Ryan Gravenberch, who has done well in the US, the game could soon be up.

‘Despite Slot praising Gravenberch’s performance in the friendly against Manchester United, Liverpool have now identified a target in that position,’ David Ornstein wrote in The Athletic (subscription required).

‘It is worth keeping an eye on that situation this week, with Liverpool pursuing a specialist No 6 from outside of the Premier League. They have turned down bids for Endo this summer, in part because of the tricky market in that position, but are now moving ahead with a signing for that role.’

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Slot’s way of working has certainly kept the first team on its toes, and as long as his players don’t compare that with his predecessor, and move forward as one, there’s every chance that success will follow.

If new players are soon added too, that adds an extra element of competition for those already in situ – exactly what every manager would surely profess to wanting given the chance.

The post Liverpool ace’s future under threat despite Slot’s recent praise appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has provided an update on when some of his stars will return from their holidays having competed in Euro 2024 and Copa America this summer. 

Pre-season has not been ideal for Slot as the Dutch coach would have wanted a full squad to work with heading into the 2024/25 campaign.

The former Feyenoord boss would have hoped to get his ideas across to his new team as quickly as possible but the summer tournaments have delayed that, which could compromise the start of the Merseyside club’s season.

Slot has been working with a limited number of Liverpool’s best 11 in recent weeks and speaking to the press on Thursday ahead of the Reds’ match with Real Betis in Pittsburgh on Friday night, the Dutch coach has provided an update on when all of his players are returning.

The 45-year-old confirmed that Diogo Jota will join up with the rest of the Liverpool squad in Pittsburgh on Thursday but won’t feature against Betis.

Ibrahima Konate and Ryan Gravenberch are due to link up with the Premier League team in Philadelphia ahead of games against Arsenal and Man United.

However, Alisson, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Joe Gomez, Virgil van Dijk, Cody Gakpo, Alexis Mac Allister, Darwin Nunez and Luis Diaz will miss the entire tour of the United States and will start their pre-season schedule back in Liverpool

“Diogo is arriving today. He will have his testing day tomorrow and then join us for the sessions the day after,” Slot told the media via The Athletic.

“Ibou and Ryan will join us later in the trip. Alisson will also start at the AXA with the others.”

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Big task ahead for Arne Slot at Liverpool

Liverpool’s pre-season preparations will make Slot’s job at Anfield a little harder at the beginning but there will be more than enough time for the Dutch coach to get his big stars in line with his ideas in order for the Merseyside club to achieve their goals this season.

It was always going to be hard for the successor of Jurgen Klopp as the legendary figure’s influence at Liverpool went beyond football.

A top-four finish and a deep run in the Champions League should be considered a success for the Reds ahead of the upcoming campaign, but overall fans of the Merseyside club should be excited about life with Slot even if his first season is a tough one.

The post Arne Slot confirms three major players will join Liverpool’s pre-season tour in latest update on returning stars appeared first on CaughtOffside.

According to reports in Italy, AC Milan appreciate the talent of Liverpool midfielder Ryan Gravenberch.

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After starting just 12 games for the Premier League club in his debut season, his future has been the subject of conversation at Liverpool.

Italian outlet CalcioMercato has reported that the Italian giants met with the agent of Gravenberch, Enzo Raiola, and expressed their admiration for the midfielder.

Gravenberch left Bayern Munich to join Liverpool in the summer of last year, but he hasn’t played much at Anfield this season.

His limited playing time at the Merseyside club has sparked rumours of an exit, with Milan reigniting their long term interest in the player.

The Milan club were interested in the Dutch midfielder when he was leaving Ajax to join Bayern Munich.

They are even rumoured to have been in touch with Gravenberch’s agents at the Raiola agency in recent weeks.

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However, the meeting did not take place to discuss a move for the player in the near future but to only register their interest in his services if he becomes available.

The 22-year-old has no desire to leave the Premier League club this summer and he is raring to start a new era at the club under manager Arne Slot.

Gravenberch did not reach the heights that many had anticipated during his two years in Germany, and although he made significant progress in his first season at Liverpool, his best is yet to come at Anfield.

Liverpool have no intention of selling Gravenberch

Within the Liverpool camp, the position is unwavering despite the rumours.

Gravenberch’s obvious desire to stick around and establish his value fits in with Slot’s plan to create a competitive and talented squad.

The midfielder will be looking for more playing time under his compatriot in the upcoming season.

Failure to get that might change his plans for the future but as things stand right now, he is hoping to make his mark at the Merseyside club.

The post Champions League club meet the agent of Liverpool star who joined last summer appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Ryan Gravenberch is not understood to be contemplating a return to the Bundesliga.

The Dutch international is likewise not thought to be interested in an exit from Liverpool Football Club this summer full stop.

“There have been no rumours about Ryan Gravenberch’s future from the German side. Nobody believed he would take a step back to the Bundesliga. It wasn’t a big topic, to be honest,” Christian Falk shared in his latest exclusive Fact Files column with CaughtOffside.

This update comes amid reports that the former FC Bayern midfielder is considering his future ahead of the impending arrival of Jurgen Klopp’s successor, Arne Slot. In April, Turkish outfit Galatasaray were listed as one potential suitor keen on the player’s services.

The ever-reliable David Lynch has recently corroborated the belief that Gravenberch wishes to stay put in Merseyside.

MORE: Exclusive: Bundesliga giants now considering signing Man Utd’s Mason Greenwood

“It was my understanding that the player is absolutely happy to stay put at Liverpool and that he wants to keep building on what was a a fairly successful first season,” the Reds reporter spoke on his personal YouTube channel (via Empire of the Kop).

Could Arne Slot get the best out of Gravenberch?

Transfer rumours arising around the squad Klopp is leaving behind at Liverpool was always going to be somewhat inevitable.

However, it would be somewhat surprising to see such a young, exciting talent sold after only a year of football at Anfield.

Certainly, if Darwin Nunez will be given the chance to demonstrate his long-term credentials at the club, it only seems reasonable that Gravenberch will be afforded the same opportunity.

Can Slot get a consistent tune out of a player who has struggled to deliver week in and week out since his Ajax exit? Only time will tell on that front.

The post What Falk is now hearing about Gravenberch & Liverpool amid exit suggestions appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Former Liverpool forward Ryan Babel has identified the three Dutch players in this Reds squad as being particularly important for new manager Arne Slot as he takes over from Jurgen Klopp this summer.

Slot has done hugely impressive work at current club Feyenoord, and Babel has discussed the squad he’ll be inheriting once he takes over at Anfield in the summer.

Babel believes it will be important for Slot to have Dutch players in his ranks as they’ll more easily understand what he wants straight away.

LFC have Virgil van Dijk, Cody Gakpo and Ryan Gravenberch on their books, so that could help Slot once he gets pre-season started with the Merseyside giants.

Van Dijk, Gakpo and Gravenberch are all important players for Liverpool as it is, but one imagines they’ll be even more crucial for the club as they get this new era underway next season.

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“I think that with him being Dutch, naturally he’ll want a few people in his squad who speak the language. But also he’ll want people who already understand what he expects from his team, and his philosophy,” Babel exclusively told Ladbrokes Fanzone.

“Luckily, there are already three Dutch players at Liverpool in Virgil van Dijk, Ryan Gravenberch and Cody Gakpo, who will understand what he wants immediately. That will be an advantage, absolutely.”

Slot can rely on Liverpool’s Dutch stars, but what about Darwin Nunez?

Babel also had some interesting thoughts on Darwin Nunez, who he rates highly, but who perhaps looks in need of some help up front.

“There are many ways you can approach Nunez’s situation; in one breath you might say OK, he’s had a lot of chances to prove himself, but at the same time, realistically, not all players are world class from a young age,” Babel added.

“If I remember right, was Didier Drogba not 26 when he signed for Chelsea? So, with that in mind, it’s worth remembering that some players just need a longer time before they eventually reach their prime, and maybe Nunez’s prime is at 27 or 28… whether he gets the time at Liverpool is another question. But I still believe that I’ve seen enough from him to know he has the power, he has the pace, he has the work ethic.

The post Ex-Liverpool ace identifies three hugely important players to help Arne Slot make the best start possible appeared first on CaughtOffside.

This article was originally published on the Daily Briefing, a subscription service. If you would like to receive Neil Jones’ exclusive articles via email ahead of publication on caughtoffside.com, please sign-up for the service at thedailybriefing.io

Alan Varela linked with Liverpool but Reds are well-stocked in midfield

I’m not aware of anything concrete in links between Liverpool and the Porto midfielder Alan Varela. Right now, I believe the Reds are pretty well-stocked in that area, even if they will lose Thiago Alcantara on a free transfer in the summer.

Wataru Endo aside, Liverpool have a real core of midfield players aged 25 and under. Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai have settled in well during their first season, Curtis Jones and Harvey Elliott have developed into trusted first-team players, and while Ryan Gravenberch hasn’t necessarily hit all of the heights he would have liked yet – more on that below – it is important to remember that the Dutchman is still only 21 and is a player of considerable potential.

So too is Stefan Bajcetic, who has recently returned to action, and I believe he is an important player to think about when discussing Liverpool’s midfield plans. He is only 19, has already made an impression on the first team, and has the skills and versatility to play as a No.6 or a No.8, depending on the needs of the team.

He is viewed internally at Liverpool as a big player for the future, and I expect him to have a significant role to play going forward, and therefore a significant impact on the club’s transfer plans in midfield.

What does the future hold for Ryan Gravenberch?

It is fair to say that of the four midfielders signed last summer, Gravenberch has been the least impressive so far. But I would still be surprised if Liverpool were to cut their losses on the Dutchman after only one season, despite some outlets linking him with interest from Galatasaray.

At 21, it is clear that there is still room for development in his game. The skills are there – he has good size and strength, he moves well with the ball and he has excellent technical qualities – but he is still a player of moments, rather than one who really imprints himself on a game. Too often, he drifts in and out, and in a Premier League midfield that can stand out a lot.

He’s also had some bad luck. He started the Carabao Cup final at Wembley but was taken out by Moises Caicedo early on, and there have been a couple of muscle issues that have struck him when he was threatening to establish himself in the XI.

There’s no doubt that he can improve, and that he will need to if he is to make himself a regular starter, but his goal against Fulham on Sunday shows what he is capable of, and I expect Gravenberch to get at least another season to show why Liverpool tracked him for so long, and why they were so keen to rescue him from Bayern Munich last year.

Liverpool like Levi Colwill and are likely to sign a young centre-back this summer

Of all the areas Liverpool could strengthen this summer, I believe centre-back is the most obviously in need.

The development of Jarell Quansah this season has been superb, and the 21-year-old should be a first-team staple going forward, but there is still a lack of depth in the position.

Joel Matip is out of contract at the end of the campaign, and probably won’t be fit to play until the autumn in any case, and while Ibrahima Konate is potentially one of the best centre-backs around, he is hard to truly rely on, with so many muscle injuries curtailing his progress.

Joe Gomez’s last 12-18 months have seen him become more of a full-back than a centre-half, so that leaves the incomparable Virgil van Dijk, who will turn 33 in July, and while the captain is not exactly looking his age, it would certainly be prudent of Liverpool to start planning for the longer term with a new signing.

Their interest in Levi Colwill is long-standing, and there were suggestions of a bid last summer before he signed his new contract at Chelsea. I don’t expect the Londoners to sell Colwill this time around, but if they did then I would expect Liverpool to be in the mix.

Willian Pancho of Eintracht Frankfurt has also been linked, but I am not aware of anything concrete in that one. What I would say is that the player’s age, experience and potential certainly makes him an interesting prospect. I would be surprised if Liverpool do not sign a young centre-back this summer.

Liverpool get the response they needed with win at Fulham

Sunday’s win over Fulham was not only vital in terms of the Premier League title race, but also in restoring some confidence to Jurgen Klopp’s side.

Liverpool have had a tough few weeks, struggling to score goals and struggling to keep clean sheets. And when you put those two factors together, well, you’re going to struggle to get results!

They needed a response at Craven Cottage, and I think they produced one. Fulham were a little underwhelming, if I’m being honest, but Liverpool’s energy levels, counter-pressing and intensity were all much better, and they were able to add a clinical finish to their play too.

We all know about Trent Alexander-Arnold’s set-piece prowess, but it was a big moment for Ryan Gravenberch, who scored his first Premier League goal. He has needed something like that, you feel, and he took his strike expertly.

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So did Diogo Jota, and it is hard not to wonder what might have been had the Portugal international been fully fit throughout March and April. I suspect, at the very least, that Liverpool would have won one of those two games against Manchester United.

The other notable thing about Sunday was the strength of Liverpool’s bench. Klopp’s five substitutes were Mohamed Salah, Dominik Szoboszlai, Darwin Nunez, Joe Gomez and Alexis Mac Allister, with Ibrahima Konate and Curtis Jones not even getting on the pitch.

With five tough games to go, starting at Everton on Wednesday, having so many options could well prove crucial.

The post Liverpool transfer news: Varela links, Gravenberch future, Chelsea star appreciated & more appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Liverpool FC journalist Neil Jones has had his say on the recent transfer rumours involving Reds midfielder Ryan Gravenberch after an unconvincing first season at Anfield.

The Netherlands international joined from Bayern Munich in the summer as part of a major rebuilding job in the middle of the park, with Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai and Wataru Endo also all joining while Jordan Henderson, Fabinho, James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain left the club.

Gravenberch has perhaps had the slowest settling-in period at Liverpool, with Jones acknowledging to CaughtOffside for his exclusive Daily Briefing column that the former Bayern man has not quite looked at his best so far.

However, despite links with Turkish giants Galatasaray, it seems Jones does not expect the 21-year-old to leave LFC already, as he still feels he has a bright future in the game.

Gravenberch transfer: Liverpool midfielder surely staying, says Jones

“It is fair to say that of the four midfielders signed last summer, Gravenberch has been the least impressive so far. But I would still be surprised if Liverpool were to cut their losses on the Dutchman after only one season, despite some outlets linking him with interest from Galatasaray,” Jones said.

“At 21, it is clear that there is still room for development in his game. The skills are there – he has good size and strength, he moves well with the ball and he has excellent technical qualities – but he is still a player of moments, rather than one who really imprints himself on a game. Too often, he drifts in and out, and in a Premier League midfield that can stand out a lot.

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“He’s also had some bad luck. He started the Carabao Cup final at Wembley but was taken out by Moises Caicedo early on, and there have been a couple of muscle issues that have struck him when he was threatening to establish himself in the XI.

“There’s no doubt that he can improve, and that he will need to if he is to make himself a regular starter, but his goal against Fulham on Sunday shows what he is capable of, and I expect Gravenberch to get at least another season to show why Liverpool tracked him for so long, and why they were so keen to rescue him from Bayern Munich last year.”

The post Exclusive: Liverpool transfer expert comments on Reds star’s future this summer appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Ryan Gravenberch has given his side the lead thanks to an unbelievable effort before Diogo Jota made it 3-1.

Jurgen Klopp’s side are on their way to a hard-earned three points at Craven Cottage as they attempt to join Arsenal at the top of the Premier League table.

Trent Alexander-Arnold broke the deadlock with a pinpoint free-kick before Timothy Castagne equalised moments before the half-time break.

Gravenberch then gave Klopp’s side the lead with a thunderbolt before Jota all but secured the game for the Reds.

What a FIRST Premier League goal from Ryan Gravenberch! pic.twitter.com/vagdge28FJ

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) April 21, 2024

JOTAAA!

Liverpool fire ahead past Fulham pic.twitter.com/gzXLcSnZ4C

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) April 21, 2024

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The post Video: Ryan Gravenberch scores screamer to grab the lead before Diogo Jota scores a third appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Liverpool midfielder Ryan Gravenberch could reportedly leave Anfield in the summer after failing to establish himself in Merseyside.

The Reds have seen both their European and domestic chances of silverware slip away after losing back-to-back games in both competitions.

They are now two points behind Premier League leaders Manchester City after their shock 1-0 defeat against Crystal Palace at Anfield with the treble winners now heavy favourites to make history and win four in a row.

Jurgen Klopp’s side was then unable to overturn their 3-0 first-leg deficit against Atalanta, only winning 1-0 in Italy and subsequently launching them out of the Europa League.

With the German manager set to depart at the end of the season, many fans are expecting a huge overhaul in the club depending on who his potential successor is.

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Ryan Gravenberch could leave Liverpool

According to a report from fotoMac via the Daily Mail, Gravenberch could depart in the upcoming summer transfer window with Galatasaray very interested in his signature.

The Dutch midfielder only signed last year from Bayern Munich but has failed to nail down a spot in the starting line-up.

With only 10 Premier League starts under his belt since arriving on deadline day, the 21-year-old has failed to live up to the lofty standards expected of him.

With Thiago Alcantara also expected to depart, it could lead to another summer focusing on rebuilding their midfield.

The post Liverpool star could leave despite recently signing appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Liverpool trio Darwin Nunez, Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch were reportedly not at all happy to learn of Jurgen Klopp’s decision to leave the club at the end of this season.

The German tactician recently announced he’d be stepping down as Reds boss this summer, ending a long and successful spell in charge at Anfield.

Many fans will have been surprised by this news, and it seems some of Liverpool’s own players were shocked and not too pleased with how the whole saga was handled, according to a report from Football Transfers.

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Liverpool fans will surely be concerned by this update, with Klopp’s future perhaps unsettling the squad ahead of what will surely be a hugely important end to the season.

Klopp decision won’t impact Liverpool stars’ long-term futures

Even if new signings like Szoboszlai and Gravenberch could be forgiven for not being too pleased that the manager they signed up to play for on long-term contracts is now moving on, Football Transfers do stress that it’s not expected to have an impact on their futures at the club.

LFC will need to keep this squad together and strengthen it once Klopp goes, so they could do without the added upheaval that would come from their best players leaving along with the manager.

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It won’t be easy to replace a legendary figure like Klopp, who has enjoyed so much success during his Liverpool reign, but the next manager will at least be inheriting a very strong squad of players, with Nunez, Szoboszlai and Gravenberch certainly looking like they could be key figures in the team for many years to come.

Nunez joined the Reds from Benfica last season, while Szoboszlai and Gravenberch are new to the club this season, joining from RB Leipzig and Bayern Munich, respectively, while Alexis Mac Allister and Wataru Endo also joined in a major midfield rebuild.

The post Three big-name Liverpool players furious with how Jurgen Klopp exit has been handled appeared first on CaughtOffside.