LFC Recruitment Plan

Liverpool FC

Summer 2023

Recruitment Plan

• By Jordan Burke

• Twitter: @LFC_Analysis

• LinkedIn: Jordan Burke

• Email: BurkeFootballAnalytics1@gmail.com

Introduction

• This recruitment plan is made from my own personal viewpoint and is in no way shape or form

related to Liverpool Football Club. Liverpool FC have just come off the back of quite a

disappointing end to their 2022/2023 season where they finished 5 th in the Premier League, exited

in the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League to Real Madrid C.F, exited the Carabao Cup in the last

16 to Manchester City and finally exited the FA Cup in the 4 th round to Brighton & Hove Albion.

•

In this plan, we will look at how some of the current players, along with how some potential

transfer targets performed last season, before determining who I think should stay, leave and who

should be brought in. This is based on my opinion and also considered LFC’s transfer budget and

wage structure.

| Liverpool FC Squad 2023/2024 |

| Player Name + Probability of Sale | Improbable |

Probable for Very Good Offer | Probable for Decent Offer

| Leaving Free Transfer | Possible Loan

GK

Alisson

Kelleher

Adrian

WCB

Robertson

Tsmikas

CB

Van Dijk

Matip

RCB

Konaté

Gomez

CDM

Fabinho

Bajcetic

IWB

Trent

Bradley

Ramsay

LCM

Mac Allister

Thiago

Jones

Arthur

RCM

Szoboszlai

Henderson

Milner

Keita

Ox

LW

Diaz

Nunez

Carvalho

ST

Gakpo

Jota

Firmino

RW

Salah

Elliott

Doak

Squad List

Below I will look at every single player who is not out of contract and will be analysing

their percentile rankings. They must have played a minimum of 500 minutes in the Premier

League 2022-23 season (Carvalho, Doak, Ramsay, Adrian, and Kelleher just missed out).

Alisson Becker

#1

Goalkeepers

Ø Liverpool will have three first team goalkeepers for the upcoming season

Ø Alisson is up there with the very best he is quick off his line, great on the ball and a

sensational shot stopper.

Ø Kelleher is probably the best back up goalkeeper in the league right now but that has its

cons as he is attracting concrete interest from other clubs. Liverpool should keep hold at

all costs.

Ø Adrian has just signed a new contract with the club, he will be our 3 rd choice but is a

great experienced personality in the dressing room. He will not got many minutes if any

at all.

Trent Alexander-Arnold

#66

Andrew Robertson

#26

Kostas Tsimikas

#21

Fullbacks

Ø Liverpool will have three first team fullbacks for the upcoming season.

Ø Trent is Liverpool’s most important player in my opinion. After a bumpy start to last season,

Klopp finally found a solution in this new system and it suits him perfectly. If you can get

Trent on the ball he will win us games, his attacking numbers for last season are just electric.

Defensively his numbers are pretty solid too despite the critics.

Ø Robertson had a bit of a drop off last season, defensively he struggled which is not like him.

Offensively on the other hand he was putting up absolutely absurd numbers. My only worry is

in this new system can we afford to allow the left back to be so attacking with the right back

moving into midfield? I personally think we should look for a left sided centre back especially

for matches against the teams at the top of the table.

Ø Tsimikas has been a good backup option for LFC when Robertson is absent, he comes in and

the drop off is far from noticeable which is all you can ask for, for a second choice.

Virgil van Dijk

#4

Ibrahima Konaté

#5

Joël Matip

#32

Joe Gomez

#2

Centre Backs

Ø Liverpool will have four first team centre backs for the upcoming season

Ø Virgil had a big drop off last season which looked confidence related, he tended to back off a lot and

not go into challenges. Even after last season I still think Virgil is one of the best in the world and

he will soon pick up form again. His pace and distribution along with his physical presence are a

nightmare for any centre forward.

Ø Konate is incredibly good at centre half and was one of the only consistent performers in Liverpool’s

back line last season, defensively he reads the game so well at such a young age and in 1v1

situations he is very hard to get the better of.

Ø Matip looked like he had lost a lot of pace last season and struggled in Liverpool’s high line, his ball

progression was still immense with his carries into the opp. half. He also unfortunately had a lot of

injury problems making him unavailable for a big part of the season.

Ø Gomez is a tricky one, capable of amazing things (Manchester City(H)), but also capable of costly

mistakes (Real Madrid(H)). Although he is capable of great performances, he is very inconsistent. I

think LFC should keep him as a 4 th /5 th choice and an option at right back. However, I would be

massively surprised if we saw much of him next season.

Fabinho

#3

Stefan Bajcetic

#43

Jordan Henderson

#14

Thiago Alcántara

#6

Curtis Jones

#17

Harvey Elliott

#19

Dominik Szoboszlai

#8

Alexis Mac Allister

#10

Centre Midfielders

Ø Liverpool will have eight first team centre midfielders for the upcoming season

Ø Fabinho had quite a drop off at the start of last season, however, towards the end of the season in this new

system I think he massively improved. The new system has Trent come into midfield meaning if Liverpool lose

the ball he has 50% less ground to cover which is huge.

Ø Bajcetic was great last season when needed, he gave Liverpool the energy in midfield they had massively

craved all season. I think he will play a big part next season if he can stay fit.

Ø Henderson’s levels have dropped the past couple of seasons and I think it may be time he takes up a squad

role. Liverpool need to keep him at all costs as his leadership and experience are invaluable to the squad and

he still has a lot to give as a squad player.

Ø Thiago is one of the most technically gifted players I have seen play for Liverpool, we look a better team with

him on the pitch. Liverpool should 100% hold on to him next season, now that they have more squad depth in

midfield he won’t be needed every week so he will hopefully be able to stay fit.

Ø Jones was immense for us at the end of last season, this new system suits him perfectly giving him more

license to venture forward and less defensive responsibility. Hopefully, next season is the season he can really

kick on for us.

Ø I think if last season showed us anything it was that Harvey was out of his depth in midfield, I think he should

be used as a winger next season as backup to Mo Salah.

Ø Szoboszlai is an exciting signing he can play off either wing or centrally, he is a strong physical presence in the

midfield who is exceptional offensively. He will be great for Liverpool I have no doubts about it.

Ø Mac Allister will also be a great signing he is a good all round midfielder, who retains the ball well,. He is

quite creative but also more than capable defensively with a lot of energy he will fit right into Klopp’s system.

Mohamed Salah

#11

Cody Gakpo

#18

Darwin Núñez

#27

Diogo Jota

#20

Luis Díaz

#7

Forwards

Ø Liverpool will have five first team forwards for the upcoming season

Ø Mo was sensational last season in terms of numbers, he struggled at times in a difficult season but

still managed to finish 4th top scorer in the league and ended up with the most assists. Mo is one of

our most important players and I am sure he will have another incredible season.

Ø Cody has only had half a season with us but has already showed the Liverpool fans what he is

capable of, he finished on 7 goals and 2 assists which is more than respectable in half a season. He

is the perfect Firmino replacement, he is hardworking, very good at dropping deep to create space

for others and also very good at receiving the ball with his back to goal and driving forward.

Ø Nunez had a difficult first season at Anfield but still managed 9 goals and 3 assists, he is a chance

magnet and if he can compose himself a bit more he will start scoring for fun. He struggles with his

link up play. I think Nunez can be more effective off the left by running in behind Gakpo who can

drop deep to create the space for him. However, he is more than capable of playing as the main

striker as we saw at times last season.

Ø Jota is one of the best goal scorers at the club, but his link up play is what lets him down. I think he

is an amazing bench player and he will get many goals from there. However, he should not be

starting for me, he can be a lot more effective off the bench.

Ø Diaz is the forward that excites me the most at the club, he loves to run at defenders and is so

direct. Unfortunately, his season was cut short due to an injury, I am sure he will be back to his best

next season.

Where should we look to recruit?

GK: We will be fine for goalkeepers, as long as Kelleher stays. If we end up losing him we will definitely need a

replacement as he has been sensational as backup to Alisson these past few years.

RB: With Calvin Ramsey going to PNE on loan Liverpool are a little short at right back however, if Joe Gomez is to stay

and Conor Bradley stays, I think we have enough there and it’s not a massive priority. I also think Fabinho could do a

great job there drifting into midfield as he played RB for Monaco during his time there.

LB: At left back we will be fine with Robertson and Tsmikas doing great.

CB: I think we need at least two new centre-backs with Joe Gomez underperforming and Joel Matip not getting any

younger, especially with his injury concerns.

CM: With Mac Allister and Szoboszlai already through the door I still think Liverpool need at least another one or two

midfielders if they want to start being competitive again.

RW: I think Liverpool can rely on Harvey Elliot to be a good enough back up for Mo especially with Ben Doak coming

through the ranks too and Salah rarely being unavailable.

ST: Liverpool have more than enough firepower up top with Jota, Nunez and Gakpo all able to play there, it would be

silly to spend money on the front three when Liverpool clearly need investment elsewhere.

LW: Same as for the striker Liverpool have Diaz, Nunez, Jota and Gakpo all capable of playing from the left, they do

not need any more players there.

Potential Targets

Here I will put a few names together before dissecting them in the slides below seeing who I think we should sign,

giving multiple targets, who I would prefer and why.

CB Targets: Gonçalo Inácio, Micky van de Ven, Giorgio Scalvini, Leonardo Balerdi, Piero Hincapié, Antonio Silva

CM Targets: Khéphren Thuram, Manu Koné, Gabriel Veiga, Roméo Lavia, Nicolò Barella, Ismael Bennacer, Florentino

Luis

Gonçalo Inácio

Age: 21

Height: 1m85

Foot: Left

Current Value: 30.0M€

Release Clause: 45.0M€

Pros:

ü Amazing ball playing defender

ü Great at carrying the ball forwards

ü Doesn't shy away from getting on the ball

ü Creates a lot with the ball

ü Doesn’t lose many challenges

ü Tends to play out rather than clear the ball

ü Can play in the left side of a back three or left back

ü Has a release clause so price can’t go up

Cons:

v Doesn’t win many tackles

v Loses a lot of aerial duels

Verdict: Sign at all costs

Micky van de Ven

Age: 22

Height: 1m93

Foot: Left


Release Clause: N/A

Pros:

ü Progresses the ball well with carries

ü His age means there is room for improvement

ü Tries to play out rather than clear it

Cons:

v Loses a lot of aerial duels for his height

v Not a very good ball playing defender

v Loses a lot of challenges

v Doesn’t make many interceptions or tackles

v Gets dispossessed frequently

Verdict: All in all, I think Micky van de Ven should be avoided

by LFC, he is still young and could improve but it would be a

huge risk to sign him

Giorgio Scalvini

Age: 19

Height: 1m94

Foot: Right


Release Clause: N/A

Pros:

ü Amazing ball playing defender

ü Amazing defender



ü Quite experienced for his age

Cons:

v Struggles in the air even with his height

v Price tag could be heavy

v Frequently dispossessed of the ball

Verdict: I think Scalvini would be an amazing signing and

would also not take up a non homegrown spot

Leonardo Balerdi

Age: 24

Height: 1m87

Foot: Right


Release Clause: N/A

Pros:

ü Carries the ball into the final third frequently

ü Very good tackler of the ball

ü Good at reading the game

ü Gets on the ball a lot

ü Tends to play out rather than clear it


ü Price tag

ü Rarely gets dispossessed of the ball

Cons:

v Not the best at progressing the ball

Verdict: I think Balerdi would be an excellent signing as a 4 th

choice centre back, he is still very young having only turned

24 in January and would be a great signing if Matip or

Gomez were to depart.

Piero Hincapié

Age: 21

Height: 1m83

Foot: Right


Release Clause: N/A

Pros:

ü Carries the ball excellently well

ü Makes and wins a lot of tackles

ü Tends to play out rather than clear it

ü Creative passer with 85% in key passes

ü Gets on the ball a lot

ü Can play in the left side of a 3 or left back

ü Still young and a lot of room to improve

Cons:

v Doesn’t win many of his aerial duels due to his height

v Struggles to progress the ball with a pass

Verdict: For me Hincapié should be a backup option to Inácio

he is a perfect fit for the new system in that left back/left

centre-back role.

António Silva

Age: 19

Height: 1m87

Foot: Right



Pros:

ü Very good carrier of the ball

ü Very good at progressing with passes



ü Gets on the ball frequently

ü Recovers the ball well

Cons:

v Ridiculous price tag

v Not the best in the air

Verdict: I don’t think LFC should attempt to go in for Silva I

think Benfica will try to drive the price up with him being

such a good player at such a young age.

Khéphren Thuram

Age: 22

Height: 1m92

Foot: Right


Release Clause: N/A

Pros:

ü Ridiculously good carrier of the ball

ü Decent attacking threat

ü Intercepts the ball well

ü Strong and powerful box to box midfielder

Cons:

v Doesn’t win many tackles

v Doesn’t recover the ball much

Verdict: I think Thuram should be our main midfield target

this summer, he is so elegant and agile for such a tall player

he glides past players. Reminds me a lot like Moussa

Dembélé

Manu Koné

Age: 22

Height: 1m85

Foot: Right


Release Clause: N/A

Pros:

ü Good carrier of the ball

ü Covers a lot of ground

ü Could be a good number 6


ü Good price tag

Cons:

v Struggles in the air

v Gets dispossessed of the ball frequently

Verdict: I think Manu Koné, could be a great signing for LFC.

He reminds me a little bit of N’Golo Kanté, he covers a lot of

ground is still only 22 years of age so could still massively

improve.

Gabriel Veiga

Age: 21

Height: 1m85

Foot: Right


Release Clause: N/A

Pros:

ü Very good carrier of the ball

ü Very dangerous going forward

Cons:

v Too attack minded to play in a Liverpool midfield

v Feel like it would be Fabio Carvalho or Harvey Elliott all

over again

Verdict: Even though the talent is very clear with Veiga I

think he is not what LFC need right now. He is more of a 10

whereas Liverpool need more of an 8. He would cost a

considerable amount too.

Roméo Lavia

Age: 19

Height: 1m81

Foot: Right


Release Clause: N/A

Pros:

ü Very good defensive midfielder

ü Strong tackler


ü Still only 19

ü Massive room for improvement under Jürgen

Cons:

v Limited technically

v Very raw

Verdict: I think Lavia should definitely be an option but he

should not be a priority, he is very raw and needs to improve

a lot in order to start for Liverpool. Could still be a very

good investment for the future.

Nicolò Barella

Age: 26

Height: 1m75

Foot: Right


Release Clause: N/A

Pros:

ü Very dangerous attacking threat

ü Very good at progressing with passes or carries

Cons:

v Ridiculous price tag

v Struggles to be accurate with his passing

v Struggles defensively


Verdict: I don’t think LFC should attempt to go in for Barella,

I think he is severely overpriced, he could be a good player

don’t get me wrong but I think there are better players out

there for cheaper.

Ismaël Bennacer

Age: 25

Height: 1m74

Foot: Left


Release Clause: N/A

Pros:

ü Very good creative midfielder

ü Is a threat going forward

ü Would be great in the number 8 role

ü Very good tackler

ü Amazing at reading the game

ü Good box to box midfielder

Cons:

v Injury prone


Verdict: Bennacer would be the perfect signing for LFC

however, he is injury prone and will be out until November

of this year. As much as I would love to see him play for us, I

think we should steer clear of him for now.

Florentino Luis

Age: 23

Height: 1m84

Foot: Right



Pros:

ü Aggressive tackler

ü Reads the game well

ü Very good in the air

ü Progresses the ball well with passes

ü Doesn’t try to over complicate things on the ball

ü Recovers the ball very well

ü Price tag

ü Rarely gets dispossessed of the ball

Cons:

v Lacks creativity

Verdict: Florentino Luis should be an absolute no brainer for

Liverpool if they can get him for anywhere near his current

market value, he would be an absolute bargain.

Transfers

Here I will give my opinion on who I think we should bring in and who I think should go.

In (260M€):

ü Gonçalo Inácio (45M€)

ü Giorgio Scalini (40M€)

ü Khéphren Thuram (40M€)

ü Dominik Szoboszlai (75M€) – Done deal

ü Alexis Mac Allister (40M€) – Done deal

ü Florentino Luis (20M€)

Out (10M€):

v Joël Matip (10M€) – his age is catching up to him and he is no longer the player he once was, he also has major injury concerns

and is taking up a non homegrown spot.

v Fabio Carvalho (Loan) – Deal pretty much sealed to RB Leipzig.

v Calvin Ramsay (Loan) – Deal already done to Preston North End.

| Liverpool FC Starting XI 2023/2024 |

(This is hypothetical based on my recommended

signings)

GK

Alisson

WCB

Inácio

CB

Van Dijk

CDM

Luis

IWB

Trent

LCM

Mac Allister

LW

Diaz

ST

Gakpo

RCB

Konaté

RCM

Szoboszlai

RW

Salah

LFC Recruitment Plan

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