Arne Slot makes 'bit weird' Liverpool transfer claim and 'we have found someone' admission

Arne Slot has scotched the claim that Liverpool will become weaker if they do not make any signings in the transfer window.

The Reds are the only club in the Premier League - and Europe’s top five divisions - not to add to their squad. The likes of Manchester City, Arsenal, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur have all made key additions. Liverpool have tried to recruit one player, but Martin Zubimendi turned down a move to stay at Real Sociedad.

Some have argued that the fact that Liverpool have not strengthened means that they’ll not be as competitive as last term, having won the Carabao Cup and finished third in the league.

But Slot, speaking at his pre-match press conference ahead of his maiden competitive game at Ipswich Town, insists that is not the case. The head coach said: “That argument I don’t understand. If you don’t strengthen the team, you become weaker - that’s a bit weird because normally you would either stay the same or…

“I truly believe that the training ground, you can help players improve. That is also what improved in recent years. The training ground really helped the team to improve. Maybe what you mean is if other teams around you strengthen the team, they become better but it’s not always true that if you bring players, the team becomes stronger because I always believe that every player in the team needs to have perspective on playing time.

“If you bring players in, sometimes the energy in the group goes down but like I said many times, we - Richard and me - are trying to strengthen the squad. If we think we have found someone, we try to bring him in. Unfortunately, the one we thought could help us said no but we’re thrilled in the background and Richard is trying to help the team but my focus at the moment is fully on Ipswich.”