Liverpool Confidential Q&A special: LEWIS STEELE reveals Reds’ transfer plans – the latest on moves for Michael Olise, Adam Wharton and Antoine Semenyo, an update on Marc Guehi, Arne Slot’s new deal and what’s going on with Federico Chiesa?

It has been per week of doom and gloom for Liverpool – there isn’t any sugar-coating that.

You’ve got in all probability learn or heard 1000’s of phrases and hours of debate about simply what’s improper with Arne Slot’s champions… or possibly you’ve got been hiding away after three straight defeats.

So as an alternative of recapping the week that was with nuggets of data, as we usually do on this Liverpool Confidential column, Lewis Steele, our Reds knowledgeable, will reply YOUR questions on the membership.

Matters lined embody transfers, contracts, formations, Federico Chiesa (keep in mind him?) and every little thing else in between. So let’s get into it…

How severe are the Antoine Semenyo hyperlinks?

Liverpool positively held Semenyo in excessive regard earlier in the summertime.

Sources on the time advised Confidential he was one they could pursue however the whispers went quiet and we didn’t actually hear a lot from that time onwards. There have been extra murmurings after the primary recreation of the season – at that time Liverpool nonetheless wanted a ahead.

The Bournemouth ahead was signed by Liverpool’s sporting director Richard Hughes when he was working for the Cherries

Confidential readers might recall I wrote in Could that the phrase from inside Liverpool’s corridors of energy was that they needed a ‘versatile ahead’ who might play throughout the entrance three. Hugo Ekitike maybe ticks that field however Semenyo may very well be one to observe sooner or later.

Sporting director Richard Hughes signed him at Bournemouth, in fact, having seen his glorious performances at Bristol Metropolis. However he has kicked on this season and has develop into vital in your fantasy soccer groups!

As painful as it’s to simply accept for Liverpool followers, Mohamed Salah will likely be transferring on sooner quite than later. Can Semenyo be a long-term substitute? He’s positively one they’ve appreciated up to now. However there are different candidates within the combine too…

Will Michael Olise and Adam Wharton be priorities subsequent summer season?

Sure, there’s a probability. Confidential has reported earlier than how Olise, the Bayern Munich ahead, is definitely one to observe for subsequent summer season – albeit it’s nothing greater than that at this stage.

He has gone from power to power since his transfer from Crystal Palace to the Bundesliga giants. The previous Studying participant was excellent at Selhurst Park however lacked consistency, which he has now present in Germany.

One of the best vast ahead at Bayern in the mean time, whereas we’re on the subject, is a sure Luis Diaz. How Liverpool have missed him within the final week! Olise might positively be an possibility in the summertime, although. Watch this house.

As for Wharton, he’s one other that Liverpool like. Once more, although, we’re in October and it’s nothing greater than that simply but with Palace making an attempt to tie him right down to a long-term contract and enhance his sale worth.

The Reds should not the one Premier League membership circling. He’s a supremely gifted footballer and one factor price including on each counts: subsequent summer season is a World Cup summer season… costs for these stars will solely be going a technique.

Michael Olise has added consistency to his recreation since he joined Bayern Munich from Crystal Palace

Palace midfielder Adam Wharton is one other participant that Liverpool like

Do you agree the supervisor has been an absolute shame this season and must be doing rather a lot higher contemplating the standard on the membership?

Confidential laughed after we first noticed this query after which looked for the definition of ‘shame’, which is: ‘A lack of popularity or respect as the results of a dishonourable motion.’

The one disgraceful factor right here is looking Slot a shame!

He’s one level off the highest of the Premier League, nonetheless within the Carabao Cup and with six video games within the Champions League nonetheless to earn qualification (profitable seven of eight video games final 12 months led to drawing eventual winners Paris Saint-Germain, so topping the desk is irrelevant).

Sure, there are a mess of issues for the boss – extra so than ever earlier than in his tenure – however he made a behavior final season of answering each query thrown his manner.

Take into consideration among the points Slot confronted final 12 months – how would he cope within the shadow of Jurgen Klopp? What occurs when Liverpool’s fixtures get more durable? Absolutely they can’t keep their kind for an entire season? How will he recover from defeats to PSG and within the Carabao Cup closing?

He answered all of these questions. He’ll accomplish that once more. Bear in mind, one level off the highest… performances haven’t been nice however relax, people. Slot will put it proper.

Arne Slot offers his staff directions throughout Saturday’s match in opposition to Chelsea – however to no avail, Liverpool suffered a 3rd consecutive defeat

Liverpool additionally misplaced in opposition to Galatasaray within the Champions League when Mo Salah began on the bench

What’s the Marc Guehi scenario? Will it’s powerful to seal the deal?

Guehi was midway by a medical with an settlement in place for him to signal for Liverpool when Steve Parish pulled the plug, so it’s improper to say it is going to be powerful to land him subsequent summer season. If something, it is going to be straightforward.

From what Confidential understands, Liverpool are nonetheless eager on signing Guehi and the one query mark there may be whether or not they do it in January or the summer season. It appears like a winter transfer is unlikely… however they’ve performed down the potential for transfers earlier than and so they have occurred.

Which leads me swiftly on to…

Palace defender Marc Guehi was so near becoming a member of Liverpool on deadline day just for the deal to fall by on the eleventh hour

Ought to Liverpool usher in Guehi or one other centre again in January?

Completely.

They are going to nonetheless pay much less cash in January than they’d have finished in the event that they signed a centre again on deadline day in the summertime and, if you happen to assume again to final 12 months, Liverpool rejected an method to let Trent Alexander-Arnold go early.

The membership sacrificed cash to maintain him and assist their Premier League title bid. Why not do the identical now?

Giovanni Leoni is out for the season (and possibly longer), Joe Gomez is damage susceptible and Ibrahima Konate’s kind has been, effectively, patchy at finest. As I stated on deadline day, Guehi walks into this XI. Why wait till the summer season?

Liverpool’s centre again Joe Gomez has had horrible luck with accidents

Will Federico Chiesa get a League begin earlier than Christmas?

Who’s he? Don’t know him.

Solely joking. However on a severe notice: what on earth does Chiesa must do to earn the belief of Slot? Or how unfit really is he that he declined a world call-up from Gennaro Gattuso, the Italy supervisor, who speaks to him every single day?

Chiesa has scored a purpose each 63 minutes he has performed within the Premier League this season, placing him up there with Erling Haaland and Newcastle new boy Nick Woltemade in that statistic, of gamers to have performed for 60 minutes or extra.

He was glorious in opposition to Southampton within the Carabao Cup and scored a last-gasp purpose at Crystal Palace (although it didn’t depend for a lot because the Eagles went down the opposite finish to win the sport), to not neglect his dramatic late intervention in opposition to Bournemouth on the opening evening.

However he nonetheless can’t get close to the XI and appears to solely be trusted for 10 minutes. It’s regarding and curious. Chiesa was apparently injured for the journey to Istanbul final week regardless of murmurings earlier within the day that his omission was not health associated. Weird.

It’s honest to say he didn’t deserve way more than his miniscule variety of minutes final time period. This season, although, he completely deserves an even bigger probability.

Federico Chiesa has impressed off the bench for Liverpool however has been unable to get a begin

What’s your opinion on the switch technique and the shift from ‘we’ll show them improper’ sort gamers, like Mo Salah and Roberto Firmino, to confirmed stars like Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak?

Liverpool are behaving like massive boys now which is a legacy of final season’s title win.

If Manchester Metropolis, for instance, had made it 5 titles in a row then possibly Wirtz would have chosen them. Perhaps Isak wouldn’t have been so forthcoming in forcing by a transfer to the Reds. Liverpool out of the blue grew to become essentially the most engaging membership.

It’s an thrilling switch technique however one which comes with much more scrutiny as we’re already seeing… one level off the highest of the league and persons are appearing like Liverpool are Manchester United and in mid-table!

Is the Ibrahima Konate contract scenario at a standstill?

It’s now 9 months since Konate did a press convention at Anfield and stated he had been provided a brand new contract. It’s a 12 months – the final October worldwide break – since we reported talks had began over a recent deal.

But right here we’re once more, the saga of a Liverpool participant out of contract in the summertime with Actual Madrid looming. All of it feels a bit acquainted to the Trent Alexander-Arnold problem this time final 12 months and everyone knows how that ended up.

The reply is that there aren’t any updates in the mean time. Liverpool are nonetheless eager to resume the Frenchman’s deal however nothing is finished but. Actual are lurking within the background however it doesn’t imply Konate is for certain to go there.

Ibrahima Konate may very well be on his technique to Actual Madrid subsequent summer season on a free switch

When will Slot get a brand new contract?

It’s on the agenda and one thing his agent, Rafaela Pimenta, is engaged on.

Followers will recall Jurgen Klopp, who joined 10 years in the past this week, was already in negotiations with Mike Gordon by January 2016.

Liverpool need to act rapidly right here in any other case they threat Slot coming into his final contracted season subsequent 12 months. Confidential can be shocked if the top coach has not agreed to a brand new deal by then.

Once we requested him about it again in Could, he appeared eager – and didn’t deny talks had taken place.

Liverpool need to tie Slot right down to a brand new contract as quickly as doable and talks are understood to have taken place

Any academy gamers that may very well be back-up to Konate and Gomez?

Rhys Williams! Now 24, the defender who performed 19 instances within the 2021-22 season as a consequence of an damage disaster continues to be on the membership and enjoying repeatedly for the Underneath 21s. It comes after loans at Swansea, Blackpool, Aberdeen, Port Vale and Morecambe.

You might also keep in mind Amara Nallo, {the teenager} who made his first-team debut off the bench at PSV Eindhoven within the Champions League however lasted a matter of minutes as a consequence of being despatched off. He’s additionally injured in the mean time, although.

Confidential has been to each UEFA Youth League video games and have been impressed with Wellity Fortunate and Carter Pinnington – the latter can play throughout the again line and in midfield. Each are good prospects however it could take a severe damage disaster for them to be referred to as up this 12 months.

Wataru Endo, Ryan Gravenberch and Andy Robertson can be extra more likely to deputise in central defensive positions if one of many three senior stars received injured. And don’t neglect Stefan Bajcetic was as soon as a defender, although Slot sees him as extra of a midfielder now.