For a long time, it appeared that Liverpool would enter the new season with a lot of uncertainty. Roméo Lavia and Moisés Caicedo were at the center of a transfer squabble between Liverpool and Chelsea, who meet on the first weekend of the season.
Jürgen Klopp was facing the unwelcome prospect of starting the season without a number six after sanctioning the sales of Fabinho and Jordan Henderson to Saudi Arabian clubs. That may be the case for the time being, but the Reds are expected to beat Chelsea to Moisés Caicedo, according to The Athletic.
Personal arrangements with the player have still to be agreed upon, but are ‘anticipated to be a formality,’ and a physical is scheduled for today. FSG has agreed to pay Brighton $140 million (£110 million/€127 million) after purchasing Alexis MacAllister from the south coast club.
Ideally, Klopp would add a new center-back to the club before the transfer deadline. However, because business is being completed more later than usual, it is nearly impossible to make persuasive projections for the campaign. While the transaction for Caicedo has been delayed, he will undoubtedly help.
With that in mind, very nothing is ‘certain’ on the day the Premier League returns, with Manchester City slated to face Burnley later in the day. However, Liverpool.com has identified four events that appear to be unavoidable.
Moisés Caicedo will be a success
Caicedo is a remarkable addition for Liverpool, should the deal goes through. It appeared that he was on his way to Chelsea, but spare a thought for Roméo Lavia. It’s still possible that Lavia may not play in the Premier League this season, but he could wind up at Stamford Bridge as Mauricio Pochettino’s Lavia replacement.
The parallels will be constant if one goes to Liverpool and the other to Chelsea. They are not identical players by any means, and they are at different stages of development, but that will not stop constant side-by-side comparisons.
Caicedo is asking for significantly more money, but he appears to be the better option right now to come in and make an immediate effect, which is precisely what Liverpool requires. Liverpool, along with Arsenal and Manchester City, could have been a legitimate Premier League title challenger in a single (although costly) deal.
Newcastle receives a reality check
Even people at St James’ Park were caught away by Newcastle’s rapid advancement last season. With a place in the Champions League, the team is clearly ahead of schedule under the new Saudi leadership.
Having reached Europe’s top table, the Magpies will want to stay there. Even with such abundant resources, they will undoubtedly discover that this is easier said than done. The Premier League is brimming with enterprising competitors – Aston Villa has significant pockets these days, Brighton is the new transfer market king, and the likes of Chelsea, Tottenham, and, of course, Liverpool will be hoping to have far stronger seasons.
Eddie Howe’s ability to balance this with newfound responsibilities in Europe will be put to the test. Perhaps he will rise to the challenge beautifully, but a regression appears imminent. Even with the possibility of five Champions League berths on offer, Newcastle is likely to drop out — albeit with the Saudi money, the only guarantee is that it will return sooner or later.
Jürgen Klopp gets sent off
Sorry, but it’s difficult to see Klopp avoiding seeing red at some point this season. New refereeing criteria are usually strictly implemented at the start of a season before settling down to a more typical level — but even if the Premier League does not stay at ‘Community Shield’ pace for the entire 2023/24 season, the clampdown is certain to have an influence on Klopp.
Mikel Arteta was issued a yellow card against Manchester City for claiming an opponent player should have been booked. That comes fairly naturally to a handful of managers on the sidelines, and it will necessitate adaptation. Another significant change for Klopp is that managers will not be permitted onto the pitch at half-time or full-time to consult with referees.
All of these are great reforms, albeit perhaps a touch harsh on human nature. According to Raphael Varane on Twitter, the new charter calls for ‘less emotions’ from players and staff. Klopp is known for wearing his heart on his sleeve, which might land him in hot water.
Dominik Szoboszlai to hit a Goal of the Season contender
Okay, so the word ‘absolutely’ may be overused here. But it just seems a matter of time before Dominik Szoboszlai scores from long range for Liverpool.
One option could be free kicks. The Hungarian is a set-piece master, as Liverpool has witnessed from corners in pre-season. And he will almost certainly compete with new vice-captain Trent Alexander-Arnold for duties when someone is fouled within shooting range.
However, the midfielders take up hazardous pockets of space in the new Liverpool number eight roles. Szoboszlai, a wise player, will usually prefer to locate a teammate in those scenarios. But his eyes light up from time to time, and he has more than enough technique to back it up, having generated a stunning highlights reel of Bundesliga goals.
