RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 1 sourcesInternational forward confirms he's ready to play for Liverpool next season
An exciting forward confirmed he's ready to play for Liverpool next season, and he is perfect for Andoni Iraola.
Richard Hughes is running out of time to address Liverpool's biggest problems in the transfer market. With every passing day, the pressure continues to grow, and supporters are becoming increasingly anxious for the club to make its move.
From the moment the summer window opened, it always felt like Liverpool had a huge job on their hands. There were major positions to strengthen, key players to replace and a squad that clearly needed reshaping after so many departures.
Iraola hasn't exactly hidden that fact either.
In both his first press conference as Liverpool head coach and again during the club's tour of Chicago, he made it clear that he wants reinforcements. He has openly suggested there are at least two positions where Liverpool still need to add quality before the new season begins.
Since the disappointment of missing out on Yan Diomande, though, things have gone remarkably quiet.
Liverpool made it clear the Ivorian was their priority target, only for him to reject a move to Anfield in favour of Paris Saint-Germain. It was a setback, and since then there has been very little concrete news about who the club will turn to next.
Whether that's because Liverpool have decided to conduct their business more quietly or because negotiations simply aren't progressing is impossible to know from the outside. Only those inside the club know exactly where things stand.
What is obvious, however, is that the clock is ticking. Every day that passes is another day for potential targets to move elsewhere, while Iraola gets less time to work with any new arrivals before the season begins.
Liverpool still have plenty of work to do, but the window is beginning to reach the point where they need to turn plans into signings.
The biggest priority for Liverpool this summer is pretty obvious: the attack.
Replacing Mohamed Salah was always going to be the club's toughest task. Liverpool made the decision not to renew his contract, knowing they would have to replace one of the greatest players in the club's history. Yet, with the transfer window moving on, they are still without a long-term successor.
There is a clear need for another winger.
Victor Munoz has already arrived, but he shouldn't be viewed as Salah's replacement. Liverpool were already short of attacking depth before Salah left, so Munoz feels more like an addition to the squad rather than the solution to the club's biggest problem.
There could also be more departures to deal with. Federico Chiesa looks increasingly likely to move on after struggling to establish himself, and he doesn't appear to be an ideal fit for Andoni Iraola's high-intensity style of football.
Then there's Hugo Ekitike, who is facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines after his injury, meaning Liverpool can't rely on him for the foreseeable future.
Cody Gakpo's future is also far from certain. Reports have linked the Dutchman with a move away from Anfield, with Tottenham among the clubs said to be interested.
When you put it all together, it's easy to see why attack has become Liverpool's biggest priority. The Reds need depth.
Most importantly, they need a right winger capable of eventually replacing Salah. Finding a player of that calibre won't be easy, but whoever Liverpool choose could define the club's attack for years to come.
One player who suggested that he wants to play a role in Liverpool's attack next season is Lewis Koumas .
The 20-year-old scored on his senior Liverpool debut under Jurgen Klopp and speaking to Liverpool's official website he confirmed that he wants to play for the Reds next season and play in the Premier League.
When asked what he wants to achieve ahead of the new season, Koumas said:
"To play for Liverpool in the Premier League, of course. But if that’s not how it ends up going, I’m always looking to develop and always looking to improve my game. We’ll just see what happens and see where it takes me."
And a few days after that declaration Koumas certainly confirmed he is ready to make this step-up. In Iraola's first pre-season game against Sunderland, Koumas netted a brilliant goal and he looked the part.
The goal combined with his pressing, which has been incredible makes him the perfect player for Iraola's system and it confirms he is someone who could stay and play a role for Liverpool next season.
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