The Most Magnificent Summer, For Liverpool's Next Title Party

After waiting for 35 years, Liverpool once again experienced a perfect championship celebration. Mohamed Salah and his teammates were able to lift the Premier League trophy in front of their own fans at Anfield Stadium. Unlike five years ago, during the Covid-19 pandemic, when the championship celebration took place in front of empty stadium seats.

For Salah, this championship title is truly a climax. They received the trophy for the fans; it is only fitting that the glory is celebrated together. "The last time we won was during the pandemic, and it didn't feel quite right. Now, you can see (how meaningful this trophy is). It feels amazing, incredible," he said.

There is a slight note behind the celebration. Juergen Klopp, the coach who led Liverpool to victory in the 2019-2020 season, only watched from the stands. It would have been more ideal if Klopp had redeemed the postponed celebration before leaving last season. In fact, that mission was accomplished by the new coach, Arne Slot.

Klopp was unable to defend the title, including facing tough competition from Manchester City in the following four seasons. One of the issues is the club's relatively minimal investment in acquiring new players. Liverpool does not spend as extravagantly as their rival teams. They continue to rely on the same core group of players each season.

The story raises some concerns for Liverpool's future in the new era of Slot. Questions arise as to whether Slot will also lose momentum due to the club's executives lacking ambition. Fortunately, "The Reds" seem to have learned from past mistakes. The transition to the new season appears to be positive.

Liverpool, through sporting director Richard Hughes, is taking proactive steps in the pursuit of players following the confirmation of their league championship at the end of April. They do not want to miss out on the mini transfer window that will open from June 1 to June 10 to facilitate teams participating in the Club World Cup.

Liverpool are not taking part in the tournament. However, they must ensure that the players they are targeting are not recruited by other teams. According to The Athletic, there are three players who are currently approaching Anfield, namely full-backs Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong, and attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz.

Wirtz, 22 years old, is the most surprising name. The Bayer Leverkusen star was rumored to be moving to Bayern Munich, but he ultimately chose Liverpool. The Reds are willing to break the club's transfer record to bring in the player with a market value of 140 million euros (Rp 2.4 trillion).

Liverpool's approach is very different compared to the first transfer window in the Slot era. Last summer, they practically added only one player to the team, namely Federico Chiesa. This relatively inexpensive transfer, amounting to 12 million euros (Rp 220 billion), was only officially announced at the end of August.

"We want more (next season) because competitors have made significant investments since last season. Some of them have also done so in the winter transfer market. If we want to compete, we must adapt. We need to become a better team with the current players and additional players," explained Slot.

The biggest task for Si Merah is to find a replacement for wing-back Trent Alexander-Arnold, who will be leaving this summer. That is why they are approaching Frimpong and Wirtz. Frimpong is intended to fill the right wing position, while Wirtz is to address the gap in creativity left by Alexander-Arnold.

The arrival of Kerkez is also very important. He is currently one of the best left-back players in the English League. Liverpool still has veteran player Andrew Robertson. However, the 31-year-old player seems to have passed his prime and has frequently made several critical mistakes this season.

Kerkez

Frimpong

According to Slot, the club's great ambition had been evident several weeks before the championship title was secured. They successfully extended the contracts of Salah and team captain Virgil van Dijk for the next two seasons. "That was the beginning of our busy summer. If there is an opportunity to strengthen the squad, we will take it," he stated.

The competition for the title next season will be much tougher. City will soon return to their original habitat as title contenders. In addition to their key midfielder Rodri, who will be able to play again next season, they have also rejuvenated their squad during the January transfer window. New players, such as Omar Marmoush and Nico Gonzalez, are ready to shine.

Arsenal will also be more ambitious next season after finishing in second place for three consecutive years. The team, managed by Mikel Arteta, has been on the hunt for a pure center forward before the season concludes. The presence of a sharp striker is seen as the final missing piece in the "Gunners" squad.

As a result, Liverpool has no choice but to make significant investments this summer. If not, Salah and his teammates may have to wait even longer for the next championship celebration. (AP/REUTERS)