Jurgen Klopp's guest appearance for Borussia Dortmund at the Champions League final last weekend signified that, yes, he's gone. Liverpool no longer wield the German's larger-than-life aura in the dugout.
It's understood that Arne Slot will spend a bit of time settling in and assessing his squad before conferring with Michael Edwards, FSG's CEO of Football, and Richard Hughes, Liverpool's sporting director, and swooping for exciting new additions.
It's generally understood that Anfield seeks a central defender and a wide forward above all else, but there are other areas of concern, with the midfield in need of bolstering despite last summer's sweeping changes.
Wataru Endo was assigned to the holding midfield after his surprise arrival from Stuttgart, targetted following defeat to Chelsea in the race for Romeo Lavia and Moises Caicedo, but the 31-year-old is solid if unspectacular and a long-term fix is needed.
As such, Edwards and his team will pounce at any opportunity – and might have found the perfect star to move for.
Liverpool lead the race for top talent
According to Portuguese outlet O Jogo – via the Liverpool Echo – Liverpool are among the contenders to sign Benfica prodigy Joao Neves, with the Reds said to be leading the race alongside Premier League rivals Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United.
Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain are also named as suitors but English soil is indeed the 19-year-old's preferred destination at this stage.
Neves is Benfica's prized asset and the Liga Portugal outfit will be reluctant to let him leave for anything less than the value of his release clause, which stands at a staggering £102m.
Joao Neves' style of play
It's a dangerous game overhyping a youngster who has scarcely dipped their toes into the senior scene, but then it's hard to ignore the talent of Neves, who truly has the trappings of a world-class star in the future.
While he's only just completed his breakout year at the Estadio da Luz, Neves is technically impressive, press-resistant and composed, playing with gusto and being rewarded with a key role in Roger Schmidt's squad, playing every minute across Benfica's Champions League group phase and subsequent six fixtures in the Europa League knockout phase.
Moreover, he was utterly breathtaking throughout his side's top-flight campaign, demonstrating his energy and exuberance across his 33 appearances, clinching three goals and one assist.
His performances at this fledgling phase have led analyst Ben Mattinson to gush over the "genuinely so complete" style of play, even declaring that Neves will "become one of the best CMs" – such is his potential.
Sure, Liverpool would have to pay through the nose to sign the young Portuguese, though if FSG want to prove to supporters that ambition has remained intact following Klopp's leave, there wouldn't be many ways to better show as much as beating the opposition to Neves' signature.
How Neves could fit in at Liverpool
Slot will be determined to winnow out any weaknesses in Liverpool's first-team squad. While Endo should remain a part of the pack, it's inconceivable that the Japan international sits as the starring midfield anchor at the dawn of a new era.
This is not to rail against a skill set proven as industrious and capable alongside the likes of Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai, fellow signings of last summer, but, rather, to underscore the importance of signing a player with the quality to grow into one of the world's best.
And Neves is that player. Still a teenager, he's truly demonstrating all of the qualities needed to rival the Rodri's and the Declan Rice's of the Premier League, affectionately dubbed "the little warrior from Seixal" by talent scout Jacek Kulig for his exploits this season.
Matches played
33
29
Matches started
27
20
Touches per game
76.5
54.4
Pass completion
90%
88%
Key passes per game
0.8
0.6
Dribbles per game
1.2
0.3
Recoveries per game
6.4
3.7
Tackles per game
2.0
1.7
Interceptions per game
1.0
0.7
Clearances per game
1.0
1.0
Duels won per game
6.0
3.9
It's rather clear that Neves would mark an upgrade on Endo, effectively eclipsing him across almost every metric when setting league statistics side by side and assessing the data.
And this would only enhance Slot's Liverpool squad. Szoboszlai has not always had the easiest ride on Merseyside after signing from RB Leipzig in a £60m deal last summer, wowing the Kop with his ferocious striking power and robust skills but suffering from injuries, errors and a failure to influence games during the latter phase of the season.
The Hungarian started only once across Liverpool's final six matches led by Klopp and it's surely now crucial that he wins over his new gaffer swiftly, but without the presence of a high-level defensive midfielder, this might be difficult.
But by employing Neves in the Liverpool engine room, Szoboszlai's abundant natural quality would resurface. Indeed, the 23-year-old ranks among the top 8% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 4% for shot-creating actions, the top 16% for progressive passes and the top 3% for progressive carries per 90, as per FBref.
Patently, he's got his strengths. But Szoboszlai also ranks among the bottom 10% for tackles and the bottom 30% for interceptions, so without the ubiquitous presence of a player like Neves, his finest football is nullified.
Especially as Klopp sort of shoehorned him into a position at the heart of the field, differentiating from his more attack-focused deployment when in Germany.
Slot, as luck would have it, likes to play with a No. 10 and this could see Szoboszlai restored and perhaps even improved under the Anfield lights. But Neves would surely still be a necessity, lest Szoboszlai find himself isolated in more offensive territory.
Okay, Liverpool need a defender; Slot wants a nice new winger. But an effective and multi-faceted defensive midfielder is the lifeforce of a top team, and this might be the most important move of the summer for a new-look Liverpool side.
Sky Sports: £9,000-p/w Liverpool ace has "informed" Reds he wants to leave
He made 33 league appearances last season.
ByTom CoatesJun 4, 2024