Ex-Liverpool icon tips Reds to sign three stars and makes ruthless ‘head is full of mush’ exit claim

Five-time league winner and one-time European champion Mark Lawrenson has urged Liverpool manager Arne Slot to strengthen the team in three key positions despite an incredible first season at Anfield.

Lawrenson was part of the last Liverpool team to defend a league title during the early 1980s and believes recruitment is paramount if the club are to remain at the summit next season.

Liverpool have been the standout team of the season and were even able to top the inaugural league-phase of the Champions League, before falling short against Paris Saint-Germain in the round of 16. But Lawrenson feels changes are on the horizon at Merseyside as Slot begins to mould the team in his image after two subdued transfer windows this season.

The three new areas Liverpool should strengthen

Former BBC Sport pundit Mark Lawrenson believes Liverpool should do everything they can to strengthen their full-back options on either side, while also signing a striker that can score goals on a regular basis.

He explained, via Talk Sport: “I think they might sign a left-back and a right-back. “And the thing about Trent, going once the guy comes in, he’s under pressure isn’t he? He knows that everybody’s kind of looking and thinking, ‘are you going to be as good as Trent Alexander-Arnold?’ In the times he’s played [Conor Bradley], he’s played very, very well.”

Although Lawrenson was complimentary of Bradley, he added that being the first choice may be a step far at this early stage of his development.

He added: “It’s different when all of a sudden you know you’re going to play every single game. “So I think they’ll sign a right-back, I think they’ll sign a left-back. Left-back probably more urgently than a right-back.”

Liverpool have been heavily linked with Bournemouth defender Milos Kerkez in recent months. The young left-back has impressed at the Vitality Stadium, while another name thought to be under consideration is former Everton academy graduate Antonee Robinson, who has shined for Fulham with 10 assists in a solid campaign for the capital side.

Mark Lawrenson fires criticism at Darwin Nunez amid exit claim

Darwin Nunez has failed to hit the heights expected of him this season and has experienced the worst of his three campaigns at Anfield from an individual perspective. The Uruguayan has scored just five league goals in 25 appearances and has rarely been seen as the first choice striker under Arne Slot, with Cody Gakpo and Diogo Jota both being preferred in the central attacking role.

‘They’ll let Nunez go,” predicted Lawrenson. He’s got so much pace, he stretches opposition defences. I just think his head is full of mush. I think they’ll cash in on him and sell him. If you’re a striker you’ve got to score goals.”

Nunez arrived at Liverpool for a reported £85m in 2022 from Portuguese heavyweights Benfica and is believed to now be the subject of interest from Saudi Arabia, according to reports earlier this year from TalkSport.

Read More: Premier League prize money table based on final position: how much Liverpool can earn