Paul Gorst's Liverpool Q&A - Harvey Elliott's future, Yan Diomande talks, centre-back plan
The ECHO's Liverpool FC correspondent, Paul Gorst, answers all your burning questions in our latest Q&A session.
A New Era at Liverpool
A new era is approaching at Liverpool as Andoni Iraola continues to wait to start his first pre-season as Liverpool boss. The former Bournemouth coach was given a two-year contract last week to replace Arne Slot, and now the Basque has to get to work, with much to do before the players return to the AXA Training Centre next month.
As Iraola continues to work behind the scenes and the World Cup gets underway, the ECHO has opened the floor to its readers to get all their burning Liverpool questions answered. Our Reds correspondent Paul Gorst has replied to some of the standout questions below.
Harvey Elliott's Future
What are your thoughts on whether Harvey Elliott will be playing for us this Fall? Any feeling whether he'll fit what Iraola wants? - Richard
Harvey Elliott is one of the great potential redemption stories of this summer for me. Clearly, he was not fancied as much by Arne Slot as he was by Jurgen Klopp, which led to his loan move to Aston Villa. That move was undercut almost immediately by Monchi's departure as sporting director and the fact that the Villans had PSR issues to contend with. That meant the £35m fee, contingent on Elliott making 10 league appearances, was never going to be triggered. This left Elliott basically wasting a year of his career, through no fault of his own.
I did expect him to leave before Arne Slot was sacked. RB Leipzig were keen last summer, but Andoni Iraola's arrival means the new boss will want to get a good look at what Elliott can offer. This pre-season period is vitally important for the boyhood Liverpool fan if he feels a change in the regime might force a rethink regarding his game-time. Iraola said last week that all of his players are 'like new signings', so it will be up to Elliott to make the most of whatever opportunities come his way in the coming weeks.
Ngumoha to Bayern Munich Links
Anything in these Ngumoha to Bayern Munich links? Is he looking to move? - Gary
According to the initial reports last week, Ngumoha had been made aware of Bayern Munich's interest, but it's unclear how that was communicated. However, some at Liverpool were somewhat bemused by the developments, and as of last week, the club had received no call from Bayern about their interest in Ngumoha. Liverpool won't encourage that either, because they are delighted with the huge progress he has made in his two years at the club and view him as an important part of a new era under Andoni Iraola.
In a season where Yan Diomande's progress at RB Leipzig has, ironically, led to Liverpool interest and talk of fees upwards of £85m, the Reds would likely view Ngumoha, two years younger than 19-year-old Diomande, in similar terms. But no price tag is being placed on Ngumoha, even privately, because Liverpool aren't looking to sell. He is less than a year into his first professional contract with the Reds.
Arne Slot's Sacking
What changed with regards to Arne Slot's Liverpool future? So many reputable outlets, including the Echo, wrote for so many months that he was safe. And then suddenly, boom! He was sacked. So what happened? - JV John Vollman
It's unclear exactly when the change in thinking came from Fenway Sports Group, their CEO of football Michael Edwards and sporting director Richard Hughes, but a U-turn was definitely made somewhere between the final game of the season on May 24 and May 30. A development in the middle of that week claiming Andoni Iraola had broken off talks with AC Milan, because he was holding out for the Bayer Leverkusen or Liverpool jobs, piqued interest because Arne Slot was still in position at the time.
As of Friday night on May 29, Slot's camp still believed he would be given the chance to turn things around, which is why many assumed he would remain in place. It all changed when Slot sat down for an end-of-season review with Hughes on Saturday morning of May 30. None of the Liverpool squad were consulted, and they found out at the same time as the supporters did, at around 12.30pm that day. The plan had been to give Slot time, but it became clearer and clearer to those who matter that there was simply too much to turn around, so the decision was reluctantly made. Those who knew before the news was relayed to Slot himself were few and far between.
Right-Back Targets
Any information on the right-backs we are looking at? - Sathish
It's difficult to say exactly who is on Liverpool's shortlist right now given the change in regime recently. A forward or two is definitely on the agenda, and it is fair to reflect that talks are ongoing with RB Leipzig for Yan Diomande, the Ivory Coast forward. Elsewhere, though, Iraola might find himself working with his new colleagues in the recruitment department to determine the best fits for his style of play.
Arne Slot said a few months back that Liverpool's recruitment essentially worked by boiling down a huge list of players for specific positions to just a handful of players, which is where he then becomes involved to offer his own personal view. It was a similar way of working for Jurgen Klopp. But given Iraola is only a week into his new gig, it's difficult to say what he feels is needed in the current transfer window just yet. It's a long window, and the World Cup will play a part too.
Summer Transfer Strategy
Think back to that first summer under Slot: Liverpool were dead quiet in the market, the narrative all window long was 'we need to assess the squad,' and beyond tying up Mamardashvili for the following summer, Chiesa was literally the only signing they made - and that move reeked of doing the bare minimum just to keep the fanbase quiet. Now Iraola's officially in the door, and in his very first interview he's already talking about 'properly assessing the current squad.' So are we really about to sit through another summer of 'assessment' buzzwords, only for it to fizzle out and leave us exactly where we started? - Mr.Zhang
No, I don't think the two summers are comparable. Liverpool only added Federico Chiesa to the ranks, and he barely played as they swept to the title, winning it by 10 points and four games to spare. It was absolutely the right call to prioritise cohesion and continuity above making sweeping changes in the window in the summer of 2024. The title parade was proof of that.
This summer is much different, however. It's clear Liverpool need major surgery in certain areas. A centre-back is a must for me, as is a reliable right-back that won't cost the earth. A dynamic central midfielder would be a big boost also. We know they are looking at least one or two forwards too, and that's before outgoings are factored into the thinking. This feels like a totally new era at Liverpool now given the turnover of last summer and the fact the team has a new head coach. So I am expecting Liverpool to look much different next season. That means more recruitment.
Academy Players' Chances
Do you think any academy players will be given a chance to play? Isah Bishir Karofi
Liverpool will take teenager winger Joshua Abe on tour with them after tying him down to new terms and staving off interest from the likes of Chelsea, Manchester City and Arsenal. He won't feature in the Premier League next season given his age - still just 15 - but he is one to watch this summer in the United States.
In terms of Under-21 players, we might see someone like Mor Talla Ndiaye at times, the Senegalese youth international who joined in January. Ditto for Ifeanyi Ndukwe, another centre-half who arrives from Austria Vienna this summer. Jayden Danns might get some opportunities if he is fit, but a loan move could be in the offing for him before the window closes. I think this summer presents a real opportunity for Trey Nyoni to move up the ranks under Iraola. He has a bright future.
Centre-Back Conundrum
Why won't LFC replace Konate? Leoni and Jacquet are both coming back from long injuries and have no experience in the Premier League. Gomez can't play two games in a row. They are going to make the same mistake they made season with the right-back. - Andros1912
I agree. I think Liverpool are taking a huge risk if they opt not to actively replace Ibrahima Konate, who becomes a free agent from July 1. The plan, according to the conversations I've had, is for Jacquet and Leoni to both be given chances, but I suspect the club will remain poised to act if they feel a more senior defender is available at a reasonable price. That leaves the club at the mercy of market developments, however. I'd rather see them proactively and aggressively target a first-choice centre-half this summer.
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