Liverpool clinched a return to the UEFA Champions League for the 2017-18 season, but the road is only beginning for The Reds. Despite their good-to-great season, there’s no doubt Jurgen Klopp needs to improve the side if he wants to build a squad capable of compete on all fronts.
With that in mind, here are three players Liverpool needs to sign during the upcoming summer Transfer Window.
Layvin Kurzawa
Kurzawa is quite a special talent. The 24-year-old left back currently features for PSG, and many experts regard him as one of the top fullbacks in Europe. He is not going to be a game-changer right from day one, but Liverpool desperately needs a specialist on the LB role.
James Milner fulfilled the role nicely, but everybody knows that’s not his best position. He needs to play in a more attacking stance, and the presence of Kurzawa would certainly improved the side on both sides of tthe ball. He would provide experience at the back, although at the same time he’s young enough to believe he will keep improving. And he knows a thing or two about big stages, having played for Monaco and currently for PSG while also featuring for the France National Team of late.
Bas Dost
If we look at the numbers, we will see that Liverpool did not have problems on offense last season. The trio of Sadio Mane (25 years old), Roberto Firmino (25) and Phillipe Coutinho (24) excelled upfront for the Reds, and Divock Origi (22) looked decent every time he had the chance. All four are 25 or younger as well, so they have potential to improve further in the coming years. However, Liverpool lacks a real striker; a towering presence inside the box that can keep the opposing center backs busy.
Here’s where Bas Dost comes in. The Dutch forward has always been a goalscoring machine. However, he’s coming off his best season with Sporting Lisbon after netting 36 goals in 41 matches across all competitions. Sure, the English Premier League is a few steps above the Liga NOS in terms of quality, but Dost should be able to cope with the challenge. His game is tailor-made for the EPL, and teams need to sign him now before the gets even more expensive next season. He would be a low-risk, high-reward signing for Liverpool.
Virgil van Dijk
It seems clear the area Liverpool needs to strengthen the most is the defense, right? Last season, Sakho went out on loan after falling out of favor with Jurgen Klopp, and all signs indicate he’s leaving during the summer. That creates a void at center back that needs to be filled ASAP, and Virgil van Dijk seems like the best choice if the Reds want to establish a competent defensive line. He’s strong on the air, composed with the ball on his feet, excels on the tackle, and can win duels on both sides of the ball. But most importantly, van Dijk has established himself as a leader – and that’s what Liverpool needs: someone who can takeover the back line and organize the rest of the squad.
The Dutchman already indicated he wants to move to Anfield, but there’s another hurdle before the operation completes. Southampton needs to accept a potential transfer, and it is believe a fee of around $50 million would be required to make it happen. It sounds pretty high for a defender, but Liverpool needs to make the deal as soon as the chance arises. Let’s face it: van Dijk is not staying with the Saints for another season, and if the Reds do not pay that amount, other team will.
It would be pretty hard to get all these three players in the same transfer window. In fact, van Dijk seems to be the only who’s even close to join the Anfield outfit in the near future. But if Klopp can get these three players, then there’s no question Liverpool will be a force next season – both at the European and domestic level.