Liverpool manager Arne Slot insists it will be “even harder than before” for his team to win the Premier League title, ahead of their season opener at home to Bournemouth on Friday.
It has been a busy summer in the transfer market for the Merseyside club that has seen a host of new players arriving at Anfield while a number of established stars have been heading for the exit.
More than £260 million has been splashed out on the likes of Milos Kerkez, Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike – while a reported £30m fee has also been agreed with Italian side Parma for their 18-year-old centre-back Giovanni Leoni.
Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak remains very much on Liverpool's radar, despite the Tyneside club having turned down one bid of £110m for the Swede, as is Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi, although Slot refused to comment on the England defender.
“He [Guehi] is not our player,” Slot said on Thursday. “If you want any talks on him you should go to Palace and [their manager Oliver] Glasner and ask his opinion about it.”
In the other direction, Caoimhin Kelleher, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Jarrell Quansah, Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez have all left, recouping the club around £160m in sales.
The likes of Harvey Elliott, Kostas Tsimikas and Federico Chiesa could also leave before the transfer window closes on September 1.
And with the revolving door at Anfield still spinning due to all the comings and goings, coupled with Premier League rivals also spending big to improve their squads, Slot believes retaining the title will be a mighty challenge for his side.
“The main reason that is so difficult is because there are so many competitors who can win the league,” said the Dutchman, who heads into his second season in charge. “It's unbelievable if you are able to do it in this league.
“This year will be even harder than before. Every season and preseason has its challenges. We have lost many starters. It is not always yourself but the teams you face.
“We start with Bournemouth, probably the most intense team in the league last season, in running and playing style. Afterwards it's Newcastle and Arsenal.
“We have lost five to six players who played quite a lot of minutes last season, and brought in four, so it's normal there is adaptation.”
Slot has admitted there have been defensive inconsistencies during preseason that will need to be ironed out as they embark on another punishing playing schedule across four competitions.
They conceded two goals in the friendly win against Athletic Bilbao and then two more against Crystal Palace in the Community Shield which saw the Eagles come out on top in a penalty shoot-out.
“The standard here is 10/10, we are doing everything well but 'well' is not good enough. We have to go a step up,” said Slot.
“So [we are] still fine tuning. Against Bilbao I was pleased with the defensive performance, no chances in open play but conceded two set pieces.
“Against Palace, the main chances we conceded was when we lost the ball ourselves. Still to improve, which is normal, let alone if we have not lost a few starters. We have brought in four new ones, so it is normal to have some adaptation – but we are definitely ready.”
Liverpool smashed their transfer record to bring in German international Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen for a fee that could rise to a new British high of £116m.
Despite the attacking midfielder being just 22 years old, Slot is confident a player who already has a Bundesliga title and 31 Germany caps to his name will have little trouble adapting to English football.
“Factually we can see him as a young player, but I don't see him as one,” said Slot. “He won the Bundesliga, plays for Germany and his mentality is his biggest strength. Which says a lot because you see him play and you think: 'Are you serious?'.
“He is so creative. He is mentally strong, he doesn't get distracted by a transfer fee or anything else.
“Good players always find a way to play well in good teams. He has to adjust to England, the league and the intensity, and his teammates. His adjustment has already gone quite well, more than we expected and we already expected a lot.”
