Liverpool's transfer to-do list: Decide on Isak, sign a CB who isn't Guehi

The Reds have already spent big this summer, but they have plenty more work to do before their Premier League title defence begins

For a club that likes to go the odd year without a signing, Liverpool sure are getting some major business done early this summer. They've secured long-term successors to full-backs Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson in Bayer Leverkusen's Jeremie Frimpong and Bournemouth's Milos Kerkez, while there was also the small matter of breaking the British transfer record to sign Florian Wirtz for £116 million ($158m), add-ons dependent.

There were plenty of jokes over Richard Hughes' appointment as sporting director when all he did in his first window was make the low-risk signing of Federico Chiesa on a cut-price deal from Juventus. They all laughed at him, and you have to say, they aren't laughing now. The Reds mean business, and are cleary not content on simply winning the Premier League. Their window of opportunity is open and they are doing all they can this summer to ensure they take advantage.

Three marquee signings down, there's still work for Liverpool to get done before the window closes, be that internally or externally. Here is the seven priorities left to sort ahead of the deadline:

Move on from Nunez

Jurgen Klopp learned during his final season at Liverpool that you simply can't bring the knife of Darwin Nunez to a Premier League title race gun fight. Arne Slot learned during his first season at Liverpool that the Uruguayan is serviceable as a backup, but little more.

The cult of Nunez, with his intriguing manic ability to create chances as easily as he misses them, isn't as enjoyable when the pressure is actually on. Had the Reds been under threat for top spot during 2024-25, his wastefulness may have come back to haunt them.

With a series of clubs, including Italian champions Napoli as well as those in the Saudi Pro League, actively interested in taking Nunez off of their hands, Liverpool should definitely be looking to part ways with the divisive striker this summer. In fairness, it sounds like they are indeed keen on moving him on.

Find a good deal for Elliott

For two or three years now, Harvey Elliott has been tipped to emerge as Liverpool's next big thing. He's still only 22, but that explosion from squad player to unquestionable regular hasn't happened yet.

The Reds have ambitions to win it all again next season, but where exactly Elliott will fit into the fold remains up for debate. On his preferred right wing, Mohamed Salah isn't showing any signs of slowing down and has signed a contract extension. In midfield, he wasn't getting much of a look in even before Wirtz came through the Anfield doors.

Elliott did not make a Premier League start last season until the 3-1 defeat to Chelsea that came a week after Liverpool had wrapped up the Premier League title, and clocked only 822 minutes across all competitions. It was never going to be easy for him to build momentum having gone into Slot's first year with a broken foot, yet he did little to sway the Dutchman even after returning to fitness.

A summer exit may be best for all parties, and Elliott himself has opened the door to that possibility: "I need to reflect. I need to see if I'm content in doing what I'm doing and how can I improve as a player, because that's the most important thing. I just want to improve and be the best possible version of myself. If that's to go somewhere else, then it's a decision that I'm going to have to make, and I just need to see what happens."

Brighton are among the teams said to hold an interest in Elliott, and Liverpool should seek to extract both the most value from any permanent sale, as well as stick a buy-back clause or equivalent into such a deal.

Stand firm on Diaz & Gakpo

Liverpool manage to keep a lid on crazy transfer speculation in regards to incomings, but they cannot always help when another club becomes enamoured in those already on their books. It just so happens that Luis Diaz and Cody Gakpo are being targeted by two of the most public-facing teams in European football in Barcelona and Bayern Munich, respectively.

Barca's interest in Diaz dates back to last summer, when they tried and failed to get the Colombian out of Merseyside to Catalunya. It didn't feel like it was ever plausible due to their financial issues a year ago, and they still haven't cleared to this day. Athletic Club's Nico Williams and Manchester United's Marcus Rashford appear to be higher on their shortlist, too.

Bayern's half-hearted courtship of Gakpo is interesting as Liverpool haven't necessarily issued a hands-off warning, with a modest £42m (€50m) price quoted in the German media. Nevertheless, the Reds shouldn't be entertaining bids for either winger given their useful versatility across the frontline and familiarity with Slot already.

Avoid another Alexander-Arnold situation

The noises coming out of Anfield regarding Ibrahima Konate's contract situation have not been reassuring. It was reported by the Guardian earlier this week that he's been left 'disappointed' with Liverpool's latest offer of a new deal, believing he should be afforded a higher basic wage given his contributions to the club in four years of service.

With only 12 months left to run on current terms, the Reds are again facing the prospect of losing a key player against their will. Ironically, Real Madrid are again the interested party having already acquired Alexander-Arnold. Liverpool cannot afford to let that happen again, or allow this to become a recurring theme in their business - there's already a decent enough chance Salah and Virgil van Dijk are allowed to walk off into the sunset for free when their new deals expire in 2027.

If Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain or any another team eyeing Konate want him, the Reds should either open their doors for business this summer or get back to the negotiating table with the 26-year-old as soon as possible. There has to be a resolution before the transfer deadline.

Sign a centre-back - but not Guehi

Regardless of Konate's future and Jarell Quansah's rather generous sale to Bayer Leverkusen, Liverpool went into the summer hoping to sign a new centre-back for the short and long-term. Remarkably, the towering Frenchman was actually their last addition in that area all the way back in 2021, with a deal wrapped up with RB Leipzig during the final coronavirus lockdown.

Crystal Palace's Marc Guehi seems to be their top target in central defence, and there are host of good reasons why the club may have come to that conclusion. He's a full England international who played a starring role at a major tournament, while he just captained the Eagles to their first-ever trophy and will not sign a new contract with a year left on his deal.

That being said, Guehi is not the Van Dijk-level defender ready to make another leap at a top club. Newcastle and Tottenham are also admirers of the 24-year-old, though they are merely contenders to qualify for the Champions League. If Liverpool are serious about winning the European Cup again, they should aim higher.

Alexis Mac Allister has spoken of his desire to be joined at club level by international team-mate Cristian Romero, but it would be difficult to pry him away from Spurs. Ajax starlet Jorrel Hato visited Anfield last season, though at 19 and primarily playing as a left-back during 2024-25, he would be unlikely to make an immediate impact. That doesn't mean there aren't other options out there if Liverpool don't try and make plays though. Would Barcelona entertain offers for the flexible Jules Kounde? Could Inter be tempted into a sale of Alessandro Bastoni? Are Nottingham Forest safe enough from PSR sanctions to ignore calls for Murillo?

Pick a goalkeeping plan

Liverpool are so blessed in the goalkeeper department that they were able to sell their third-choice heading into 2025-26, Caoimhin Kelleher, to Brentford for a fee that could rise to £18m. As it stands, £25m man Giorgi Mamardashvili will serve as backup to Alisson.

Maybe that's a plan which will serve them well. If the reliable Brazilian wants to continue his stay at Anfield, he's more than earned that right, even with lucrative offers arising elsewhere. How long his Georgian counterpart will accept that is another question though, despite claiming he's happy to serve as deputy to begin with.

It could be a case of starting Alisson in the Premier League and Mamardashvili in the cups and Europe, which would be a pretty reassuring luxury for Slot to have. Factor in that Alisson tends to pick up a semi-lengthy injury at least once a season - he's only once played all 38 games in a league season and failed to hit the 30-match mark three times - and there's an even clearer path for the ex-Valencia man to get meaningful minutes.

Make a decision on Isak

There's no smoke without fire in the transfer world when it comes to Liverpool. If they weren't thinking about Alexander Isak, it would have been reported by the club's beat journalists long ago. That still hasn't happened, because by all accounts, there is a real interest emanating from Anfield.

The problem is Newcastle aren't under any pressure to sell. Any lingering PSR concerns seem to have faded, and even if they were pressing, the club would surely look at all other solutions before deciding to give up their best player. Isak has three years left on his contract and the Magpies are ready to make him the highest earner in their history in order to get him to pen fresh terms.

Signing Wirtz for a nine-figure sum hasn't even broken the bank for Liverpool. There does still appear to be more than enough cash left in the kitty for incomings, particularly if they are able to get sizeable fees for the likes of Nunez and Elliott. It's not beyond the realms of possibility they could table a similar offer for a striker later this window.

However, they are not alone in wanting a new No.9 this summer, and the top tier of targets could move quickly. Arsenal have been working on deals for Benjamin Sesko and Viktor Gyokeres for weeks, while Manchester United too are on the hunt for a marksman of similar quality. Eintracht Frankfurt's Hugo Ekitike is also high on the Reds' list of options, though there's no guarantee he'll still be available if they wait all window long to make a decision.

Liverpool's striker search really depends on just how much they really want one. If they believe it's a necessity, they probably won't get Isak and ought to move on from him. If it's a bonus, they can afford to hang around and hedge their bets later down the line.