Liverpool could look completely different after £252m Florian Wirtz transfer

Defending Premier League champions could look very different come the start of next season. Arne Slot's transfer plans are coming to light with Jeremie Frimpong all but confirmed and Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez another likely addition. Those two would take Liverpool's spending to just shy of £80million before other upgrades are sought in the centre of defence and in attack.

A surprise target to emerge in the past week is Florian Wirtz, the Bayer Leverkusen attacking midfielder. The Germany international has provided 16 goals and 15 assists in 45 games for the Bundesliga runners-up having produced similarly world-class numbers in their double-winning season last term. Manchester City pulled out of the running for Wirtz, 22, fearing any deal could cost as much as £252 million (€300m), inclusive of his transfer fee and wages across a long-term contract. But Liverpool are not put off and if they seal a deal, Arne Slot's title winners may start with a very different set-up in August. Express Sport looks at how and why...

The 'new Firmino'

Liverpool need a new figure in the centre of their attack. Darwin Nunez is too unrefined and wasteful and Diogo Jota too injury prone - both could leave this summer. Luis Diaz is better out wide and is another whose exit cannot be ruled out. But instead of signing a Hugo Ekitike or a Benjamin Sesko, with Wirtz the plan might be to once more utilise a false nine. That tactic of course led to Liverpool winning every trophy possible with Roberto Firmino up top under Jurgen Klopp.

Slot is a big fan of PSG, Liverpool's Champions League conquerors, and they have used Ousmane Dembele as an unorthodox No.9 this season supported by two No.10s. Slot too could conjure a fluid front three that is a blend of speed, technicality and energy on and off the ball. With Diaz or Cody Gakpo on the left and Mohamed Salah on the right, Slot may be planning to go without a recognised centre-forward. Wirtz could be allowed the ability to float between the lines and create extra space for the wide forwards while also still being a goal threat himself. Which brings us to the next point...

More width

Diaz, Gakpo and Salah operate as inside forwards - they want to cut inside into goalscoring positions on their stronger foot rather than go down outside of their opponents on the byline. But with Conor Bradley, Frimpong and Kerkez, it looks like Slot will go back to the 2018-19 Liverpool style of flying full-backs. Then, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson stayed wide rather than inverting, and provided dynamism and crossing threat from wide areas.

All three of Bradley, Frimpong and Kerkez love to power forward and if the two new boys are asked to attack as freely as they do for Bournemouth and Leverkusen, that would create overloads for the opposition. They'd have the threat of the full-backs to deal with out wide while Salah and the left winger run inside and Wirtz floats and links ominously like Firmino did. But what about the risk of Slot's side being counter-attacked, you ask? Well...

'Three' centre-backs

Having both full-backs so far forward, plus the three attackers, will of course leave Liverpool vulnerable to counters. But it seems we've already seen, in and out of possession, how Slot may tweak his defensive system for next season. Against Arsenal and Brighton, in the Reds' build-up it was clear they were playing with a back three - Ryan Gravenberch dropping deep to split the two centre-halves Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk.

In the current 4-2-3-1 system, Gravenberch between Konate and Van Dijk has seen Robertson or Kostas Tsimikas and Bradley stay higher and wider while the central midfielder and No.10 drop deeper to create almost a 3-4-3. Next season those two central midfielders would be Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister, while Frimpong/Bradley and Kerkez hold the width, Wirtz links play and Diaz/Gakpo and Salah look to make penetrating runs or combine up with Wirtz.

Would it work?

Slot has proven this season he is incredibly intelligent tactically. One of his finest moments was dropping Gravenberch into centre-back with 10 men against Fulham. Liverpool drew 2-2 but dominated the Cottagers in the second half after the Dutch coach's tweaks. After winning the league in his maiden season at Anfield without tinkering with the squad, Slot is fully deserving of the chance to instil more of his own ideas.

He has talked of finding "one or two extra weapons this team doesn't have". With Robertson's powers waning, they don't have a Kerkez. They don't have a player of Frimpong's profile and they certainly don't have an attacker with the unique qualities of a Wirtz. Add those three into the picture and Liverpool will be a whole new problem for Premier League opponents to contend with next season. Time will tell if it works out as well as Slot's first year.