Liverpool are on the cusp of their Premier League opener for 2024/25, travelling to Portman Road to take on newly-promoted Ipswich Town as a new era gets underway.
Arne Slot is raring to go as Jurgen Klopp's successor, an unenviable task indeed but a chance for the Reds to showcase a new, more control-focused brand of football.
Preston North End
19/07/2024
1-0 loss
Real Betis
27/07/2024
1-0 win
Arsenal
01/08/2024
2-1 win
Man United
04/08/2024
3-0 win
Sevilla
11/08/2024
4-1 win
Las Palmas
11/08/2024
0-0 draw
A successful pre-season has left the squad in a promising position, but frustrations have been vented over a complete lack of transfer incomings, with sporting director Richard Hughes' failure to sign Real Sociedad's Martin Zubimendi earlier this week casting a new layer of trepidation across Anfield.
There are concerns over the options at No. 6, but so too are there worries around the futures of Mohamed Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold and skipper Virgil van Dijk, who have all entered the final years of their contracts.
Liverpool transfer news
As per Portuguese outlet O Jogo, Liverpool are in for Sporting Lisbon's Goncalo Inacio once again, with the Liga Portugal champions expecting a bid from Anfield's direction.
The Portuguese signed a new deal last year despite interest from a host of top European outfits (including Liverpool) but could be allowed to leave for a more affordable price of €45m (£38m).
A Bola – as relayed by Sport Witness – have corroborated the claims, suggesting Liverpool's team are set to have a conversation with Miguel Pinho, Inacio's agent.
Van Dijk, 33, will need a successor, and even if he pens a contract extension on Merseyside, the left-footed Inacio could be the perfect, prudent option to bring in now, as an upgrade on Jarell Quansah.
What Goncalo Inacio would bring to Liverpool
The thing is, Liverpool have a terrific squad. Klopp's swansong might have petered out last term, with an incredible Carabao Cup triumph followed by a perplexing, late-season plummet across the Premier League, FA Cup, and Europa League.
But despite this, Liverpool spent the majority of the year fighting tooth and nail against the likes of Arsenal and Manchester City in the title race and looking levels above the wretched group of 2022/23, which failed to qualify for top four and looked sapped after years of toil and success.
Defensively, Liverpool haven't looked quite right over the past few years, and while Slot's arrival could change that, new system, new functions.
New players? Who knows, as Liverpool's summer window trundles into the later stage. Inacio could be the perfect addition, bolstering a talented backline and easing Van Dijk's burden as the only real suitable fit on the left side of central defence.
A complete defender, Inacio, aged 22, has earned early acclaim for his passing ability but has also formed a crucial part of Ruben Amorim's steely defence, averaging 1.5 tackles, 1.9 clearances, and 4.0 successful duels per league game last season, as per Sofascore, winning 56% of that lattermost metric.
His natural preference on the left would add a dimension to Slot's team and could prove to be the difference-maker in creating a fluent and layered approach. He might even establish himself as indispensable, despite the competition for places.
Why Inacio could be 1st choice for Arne Slot
With Joel Matip now gone after his contract expired in June, Slot's Liverpool surely need some added steel in defence, with Van Dijk accompanied by Ibrahima Konate and the young and talented Jarell Quansah.
Sepp van den Berg resides in the first-team ranks too but is sought-after by many European clubs and may well ply his trade overseas come September.
Quansah does have an aerial advantage that has borne dividends at both ends of the field, with the English titan scoring three goals and assisting three more for Klopp's Reds last season.
The 21-year-old's ceiling is high above the ground, and there's every chance that he could be a mainstay at Anfield for many years to come, but Liverpool need to eke out every ounce of potential and Inacio could be instrumental in achieving that, perhaps even proving to be an instant upgrade on both Quansah and Konate.
Inacio's easy and intelligent ball-playing game seems to be tailor-made for Slot's pass- and control-focused system, with analyst Raj Chohan even claiming that the Portugal international's "build-up quality is extraordinary", due to his ability to build play from the back.
Goals scored
0.04
0.15
Shot-creating actions
1.59
0.98
Progressive passes
8.55
5.08
Progressive carries
1.27
0.98
Successful take-ons
0.40
0.30
Ball recoveries
5.40
5.45
As the table shows, Inacio far outstrips Quansah across passing and playmaking metrics, virtually matching the robust Liverpool star for recovery levels and surpassing him in take-ons, speaking of superiority with the ball at his feet too.
Lauded for his "insane" range of passing by journalist Antonio Mango, Inacio might just be the real deal and after several years of earning his stripes in his homeland, looks ready to test himself in a division like the Premier League.
The underlying numbers favour the Sporting sensation, and while Quansah will expect to play an important role throughout the campaign, this prospective signing could see him prevented from playing with a regular starting berth alongside the ever-present Van Dijk.
Of course, Konate is also in the equation but the France international endured a tough finish to the 2023/24 season, displaced by Quansah and branded "dreadful" by The Athletic's James Pearce as he struggled at the core of the late-year slump.
Given the importance of hitting the ground running, Slot may well be advocating for Hughes and co to launch an official bid for Inacio.
Sure, fans call for a new holding midfielder, but there are several areas in need of tinkering, and bolstering the backline with this exciting talent could prove fruitful indeed.
Therefore, hopefully, Liverpool are successful with their bid to land the Portugal international and he can come in as an instant upgrade on Quansah this season.
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