Arne Slot prepared for Liverpool’s ‘intense’ Premier League season and says lack of transfers will not weaken facet | Soccer Information

New Liverpool head coach Arne Slot spoke on a spread of matters forward of his Reds managerial debut at Ipswich City, with transfers – or lack of them – participant contracts, why the staff is simply as robust as final season and getting ready for an ‘intense’ Premier League all lined by the Dutchman in his pre-match press convention.

Slot will take his place within the guests’ dugout at Portman Street on Saturday lunchtime as Liverpool kick off the 2024/25 top-flight season in opposition to newly-promoted Ipswich, with the person who has taken over from Jurgen Klopp seeking to grow to be the primary Reds boss within the Premier League period to win his maiden recreation accountable for the membership.

Slot’s facet have loved an encouraging pre-season, with spectacular wins in opposition to Arsenal and Manchester United on the summer time tour of the US, however these eye-catching victories will rely for nothing in the event that they slip up of their opening recreation in East Anglia.

Not surprisingly, the 45-year-old was quizzed on the membership’s lack of switch exercise up to now this summer time – Liverpool are the one Premier League staff to not have introduced in any gamers in in the course of the shut season – and particularly, their failure to influence holding midfielder Martin Zubimendi to depart Actual Sociedad for Anfield.

In the meantime, Slot additionally fielded questions on the futures of captain Virgil van Dijk, vice-captain Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mohamed Salah, all of whose contracts run out on the finish of the season, earlier than turning his consideration to the problem of a visit to Portman Street this weekend…

‘It isn’t straightforward discovering gamers to strengthen the squad’

Slot stated he was proud of the squad he inherited from his predecessor Jurgen Klopp:

“I’ve stated many instances already our squad is actually robust and it isn’t straightforward to seek out gamers who may also help us or strengthen the squad.

“Zubimendi was one of them to be fair, but he decided not to come. We go forward with the ones we have. We are in a good place.

“Within the background Richard [Hughes] is making an attempt to strengthen the squad as he can, sadly Zubimendi determined to not come.

“He did every effort and tried everything to bring him in but if a player doesn’t want to come, it’s obvious he’s not coming.”

‘I do not get the argument we’re now weaker this season’

Slot insisted his facet haven’t been weakened by a scarcity of signings this summer time:

“That argument I do not perceive. In case you do not strengthen the staff you grow to be weaker?

“That’s a bit weird as normally you’d either stay the same or I truly believe on the training ground you can help players and teams to improve.

“That is what occurred right here in recent times. The coaching floor actually helped the staff enhance.

“Maybe what you mean is that if the clubs around you do strengthen their team then maybe they become better, but it’s not always true that if you bring in new players the team becomes stronger.”

‘In case you preserve bringing gamers in, then generally the power within the group goes down’

Slot acknowledged signings will solely be made if they will enhance the squad and whereas the search continues, he believes he can carry the very best out of the present group:

“We’re at all times speaking right here about transfers, but it surely’s optimistic that we’ve saved our gamers.

“I also believe in general that every player in the team needs to have perspective on playing time and if you keep bringing players in, then sometimes the energy in the group goes down as well.

“We’re in place for the time being – Jurgen left the staff in place and we are attempting to construct from there.

“Last season they won a trophy with this team – we are aiming for the same this season. It’s not going to be easy as there are a lot of strong teams in the Premier League who have strengthened their squad, but we are looking forward to the challenge.”

‘Trent is able to taking part in each positions very well’

Slot claimed Alexander-Arnold was in a position to play as each a right-back and in midfield:

“A position is always related to the team. Trent is known as a right full-back all his life and as a midfielder as a youngster.

“You see him going into midfield at instances and in midfield on the Euros, so he’s able to taking part in each positions actually good, so it’s as much as me to resolve.”

‘This is not the place to talk about contracts’

However, Slot was tight-lipped when it came to discussing the futures of Alexander-Arnold, Van Dijk and Salah:

“I do not suppose that is the place to speak about contracts, however I can guarantee you they [Alexander-Arnold, Van Dijk and Salah] are within the squad tomorrow [Saturday].”

‘Diaz’s future is with us’

Slot was adamant that despite recent reports linking Luis Diaz with a move to Man City or Barcelona this summer, the Colombia forward would be staying at Anfield this season:

“When I walked in, Sky Sports was on the screen and I asked, ‘Is the whole day just about talking about football?!’

“It is no shock I hear hypothesis about [Luis] Diaz. Is there anybody’s future we do not speak about?

“His future is with us. I like a lot of what I saw. He has had a big impact on Liverpool and I hope he has one for the coming season.”

‘We have to carry Nunez into extra scoring positions’

Slot on what his facet must do to assist Darwin Nunez rating extra targets this season:

“We bring him [Nunez] as much as we can into scoring positions [to help him score more goals this season].

“Everybody advantages from the staff efficiency. If everybody can carry the attackers into harmful positions, then these gamers will rating targets.

“We have even scored goals out of smaller chances in pre-season, so it is up to us to bring Darwin or Diogo [Jota], or other attackers into promising positions.

“Then he just like the others will rating targets…”

‘I have been informed each Premier League recreation is intense!’

Slot on what to anticipate from his debut managerial marketing campaign within the Premier League:

“For me the pre-season games meant something as it was important to prepare the team for the Premier League.

“Now we begin in opposition to a promoted staff who’ve carried out so effectively beneath their supervisor so now we prepare.

“It’s not harder than preparing for a team who were in the Premier League for 22 years, we have seen their games from last season and pre-season.

“It’s true a newly-promoted membership has a variety of positivity, however everybody has informed me that each recreation within the Premier League is intense and that’s what we anticipate tomorrow as effectively.

“A promoted team who only has had positives, they are looking forward to it, but so are we.”