Liverpool have yet to sign a player in the summer, but could soon field a starting eleven for a possible title challenge.
The Reds will kick off the Arne Slot era next Saturday away to Premier League newcomers Ipswich Town, live on The Pitch Prospect.
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Apart from the notable departures of Thiago, Joel Matip and Adrian, there has been little to no transfer activity at Anfield so far.
However, The Pitch Prospect has learned that Liverpool are looking to sign Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad as their first signing under Slot.
A sensational transfer of Newcastle star Anthony Gordon, formerly of bitter city rivals Everton, was also a topic of conversation this summer.
With all the potential deals that could be done for the new season, The Pitch Prospect.com has taken a look at a possible new starting XI for Liverpool.
Alisson was instrumental in the club’s success in the Premier League, Champions League and domestic cup during Jürgen Klopp’s nine-year tenure.
The Brazilian international still has three years left on his contract and, at 31 years old, he will probably be the club’s first-choice goalkeeper for a long time to come.
Liverpool’s defence almost sets itself up and Andy Robertson is likely to remain the first choice at left-back.
He missed a large part of last season due to a shoulder injury, but with his experience in defense and 65 assists in 297 appearances, he is a reliable asset for Slot.
It has been linked with a departure of club captain Virgil van Dijk in the summer, as he only has one year left on his contract at Anfield.
However, The Pitch Prospect reported in June that Liverpool were confident he would stay as the Dutchman is arguably one of the best defenders of all time.
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Ibrahima Konate may start alongside Van Dijk in central defence. The two have played 64 games together for the Reds.
For most of the summer there was speculation about the possible departure of outstanding young player Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Having scored 100 goals in 310 appearances for Liverpool, the 25-year-old is now considered a top transfer target for Real Madrid as his contract expires next summer.
The right-back would be another big-name signing for the Spanish giants after Kylian Mbappe, but The Pitch Prospect understands that the Reds are confident that the right-back will sign a new contract.
In his first Liverpool press conference, Slot explained how he likes to see his line-up
“Sometimes it’s a 4-2-3-1, sometimes a 4-1-4-1. Sometimes we play with three. So we have a lot of freedom when we have the ball.”
He added: “I wouldn’t put myself in a situation where I would say I prefer 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 or 4-1-4-1.
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“There are a lot of players who play a lot of different positions. If you asked me, I would say that at Feyenoord we played 4-3-3 instead of 4-2-3-1.”
The final line-up will soon be visible on the pitch and Zubimendi will provide additional quality in midfield.
The 2024 European champion with Spain, who comes from Sociedad’s academy, can play in both defensive and central midfield.
Liverpool fans will surely be pleased to hear that he idolises club legend Xabi Alonso, even though the 25-year-old currently has a £51 million release clause.
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Ryan Gravenberch, Wataru Endo, Harvey Elliott and Curtis Jones are other possible options, but the signing of Zubimendi could provide that little something extra.
One of the Reds’ standout players last season was Alexis Mac Allister, whose initial transfer fee of £35 million turned out to be a real bargain.
In his first season, he scored seven goals and provided seven assists. Like Zubimendi, he can play in defensive or central midfield.
Mac Allister excelled in a more attacking role for Brighton and could therefore also play as a number 10, although Dominik Szoboszlai is another contender for that position and the two could alternate.
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The Hungarian made a strong start at Liverpool before his form dipped slightly, but at 23 and with his previous success at RB Leipzig, he could still make the difference.
Earlier in this transfer window, The Pitch Prospect reported that the Reds had cautiously made an inquiry to Newcastle regarding Gordon, but the talks had failed.
“He’s thinking about Newcastle,” Magpies boss Howe recently said of the former Everton player, although a possible transfer is certainly not completely ruled out.
Gordon scored 12 goals and assisted a further 11 in all competitions for Newcastle last season and would be an excellent addition to the left wing position for Liverpool.
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Like Van Dijk and Alexander-Arnold, Mohamed Salah only has a year left on his contract and the Egyptian was linked with a huge £150 million transfer to Saudi Arabian club Al Ittihad last summer.
The Pitch Prospect reported in April that Liverpool were preparing for a new signing from Saudi Arabia, but if Salah stays, the club’s Premier League record goalscorer with 155 goals will start at right wing.
Leading that attacking line is likely to be Darwin Nunez, a player who many fans believe can do even more in front of goal.
The Uruguayan scored 18 goals and assisted 13 more in all competitions last season, 12 more than in his debut season.
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