Liverpool’s players are heading into unknown territory when they return from their summer breaks.
Having become used to Jurgen Klopp’s presence at the club over the past nine years, everything is about to change.
Arne Slot is due to start his Liverpool career this weekend as he finally touches down at the AXA Training Centre. A new dawn rises for the Reds.
While it is undoubtedly an exciting time, Slot’s arrival also has the potential to be bad news for a number of the Liverpool squad.
Those who became mainstays under Klopp may no longer find themselves with the same status for the new boss. One who reportedly could be in for a slightly uncertain time of it is left-back Andy Robertson.
Arne Slot weighing up left-back options
Robertson has been a phenomenal player for Liverpool. In almost 300 appearances for the club, Robbo has won it all at Anfield.
Now 30 though, there were signs this season that the Scotland captain is just starting to creep towards a slow decline.
At any rate, Robertson’s contract has just two more years to run on it, and you’d imagine that Liverpool need to find themselves a succession plan.
There was a time when Kostas Tsimikas may have been it, but the landscape has shifted. It now looks a possibility that Tsimikas will be sold this summer.
As a result, it comes as no surprise for The Athletic to report that Slot is ‘keen to weigh and assess the options at left-back’ over pre-season.
This will reportedly include taking a look at 19-year-old Luke Chambers. The academy defender has been doing well on-loan at Wigan during the second-half of the season and will reportedly be ‘part of the conversation’ at left-back.
So too, it seems, will Owen Beck. Beck is another to have done really well out on-loan, excelling for Dundee up in Scotland. The 21-year-old is one more option for Slot as he looks to assess what he has.
Luke Chambers set for first-team chance
In our opinion, there’s no need for Slot to do anything much at all at left-back this summer. That might change in 12 months time, but for now Robertson still has enough gas in the tank and other areas need addressing more.
Having said that, there is certainly a debate to be had over Tsimikas’ future. If the Greek does leave, then someone will need to step up to fill in.
For the moment, Chambers looks best placed to do that. His manager at Wigan, Shaun Maloney, has been really impressed with the teenager, evenclaiming that he can reach Robertson’s levels.
Chambers has had a chance in the first-team already of course, being labelled as ‘fantastic’ on debut by Joe Cole.
From the few chances that he was given by Klopp, we’d suggest that Chambers is still some way off the level needed at Liverpool. But if Slot takes a look and thinks otherwise, then it seems as though we could see him promoted next season.