LFC NEWS

Liverpool pulled off 'dream' signing after £52m transfer collapsed at 11th hour

LiverpoolEcho.co.uk - 1 hour 11 min ago
Alisson Becker was a transformative signing for Liverpool when arriving in July 2018
Categories: LFC NEWS, More News

Liverpool pulled off 'dream' signing after £52m transfer collapsed at 11th hour

icLiverpool.co.uk - 1 hour 11 min ago
Alisson Becker was a transformative signing for Liverpool when arriving in July 2018
Categories: LFC NEWS, More News

Why Liverpool can't wear Adidas kits for another five weeks as new transfers forced to wait

LiverpoolEcho.co.uk - 2 hours 11 min ago
Florian Wirtz was unveiled in old Liverpool Nike kit and training wear last week with the Reds' partnership with Adidas not starting until August
Categories: LFC NEWS, More News

Why Liverpool can't wear Adidas kits for another five weeks as new transfers forced to wait

icLiverpool.co.uk - 2 hours 11 min ago
Florian Wirtz was unveiled in old Liverpool Nike kit and training wear last week with the Reds' partnership with Adidas not starting until August
Categories: LFC NEWS, More News

What will trigger next wave of Liverpool transfer business after Milos Kerkez confirmed

LiverpoolEcho.co.uk - 5 hours 11 min ago
Liverpool have had a busy and impressive start to the summer transfer window
Categories: LFC NEWS, More News

What will trigger next wave of Liverpool transfer business after Milos Kerkez confirmed

icLiverpool.co.uk - 5 hours 11 min ago
Liverpool have had a busy and impressive start to the summer transfer window
Categories: LFC NEWS, More News

Liverpool Unveil Major Ticketing Changes Ahead of 2025/26 Season

anfieldindex.com - Tue, 06/24/2025 - 22:50

Liverpool FC Overhauls Ticketing for 2025/26: Loyalty, Clarity and Community at the Core New Ticketing Era Balances Loyalty with Technology Liverpool FC has confirmed a comprehensive overhaul of its ticketing system for the 2025/26 season, signalling a decisive move to reward loyalty, modernise access, and protect the sanctity of the Anfield matchday. In a sport […]

The post Liverpool Unveil Major Ticketing Changes Ahead of 2025/26 Season appeared first on anfieldindex.com.

Categories: LFC NEWS, More News

Liverpool Unveil Major Ticketing Changes Ahead of 2025/26 Season

Anfie ldindex com - Tue, 06/24/2025 - 22:50
Join AI ProNew Ticketing Era Balances Loyalty with Technology

Liverpool FC has confirmed a comprehensive overhaul of its ticketing system for the 2025/26 season, signalling a decisive move to reward loyalty, modernise access, and protect the sanctity of the Anfield matchday. In a sport increasingly shaped by commercial pressures, the club’s initiative, born out of extensive fan consultation, aims to keep supporters, not profiteers, at the heart of the game.

Guided by five key principles – fairness, simplicity, protection, atmosphere and revenue – this initiative has emerged after feedback from almost 100,000 supporters. In a city where community remains inseparable from football, these changes speak not only to logistics but to legacy.

As part of its ongoing ticketing review, Liverpool FC will introduce a number of important changes to ticketing ahead of the 2025-26 season ⤵️

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) June 24, 2025

Loyalty Recognised in ‘All Red’ Membership System

One of the most significant steps is the automatic qualification of loyal members for priority access. For the first time, Liverpool members who accumulate 13 or more Premier League home credits will bypass pre-registration and gain automatic entry to the early “All Red” sale in 2025/26.

The “All Red” platform itself is a newly integrated, digital membership model designed to bring together various club services under a unified structure. It will serve both as a technological upgrade and a community gateway, reaffirming Liverpool’s intent to modernise without marginalising.

Other members will access tickets via a ballot. If successful, fans will receive seat allocations in accordance with their pre-selected price and location preferences, a mechanism intended to reduce stress and confusion while maintaining transparency.

Forwarding and Family Options Modernised

The upcoming season will also see more flexibility in how tickets are shared. Supporters will be able to forward a ticket once to a friend or family member right up until kick-off, a move designed to address the often unpredictable nature of everyday life while ensuring seats do not go empty.

To support this, the “Friends & Family” list has been restructured, allowing fans to nominate up to 18 trusted individuals. From 1 September, however, these lists will be locked, a necessary step, the club says, to protect the integrity of the system and guard against manipulation.

Fight Against Touting Strengthened

One of the more pressing issues Liverpool has faced in recent years is the rise of ticket touting, both online and offline. These changes represent another layer of defence against this exploitation. As the club stated, this is about “protecting genuine supporters from misuse”, a sentiment echoed across the fanbase and backed by the club’s Supporters Board.

The emphasis on protecting matchday atmosphere, keeping tickets in the hands of fans who will actually attend, is a subtle but powerful message. The soul of Anfield cannot be traded. Minimising empty seats isn’t just a logistical consideration; it’s a cultural one.

Join AI Pro

Adblock test (Why?)

Categories: LFC NEWS, More News

Liverpool Rebuild: Downey on Frimpong, Wirtz and Slot’s New Shape

anfieldindex.com - Tue, 06/24/2025 - 21:50

Nicol’s Doubts on Frimpong, Trev’s Tribute to Alisson, and the Nat Phillips Farewell Liverpool’s Evolution Under Slot: Departures and Arrivals With Jurgen Klopp gone and Arne Slot stepping into the dugout, Liverpool’s summer reshaping continues to fuel discussion. On the latest episode of The Daily Red from Anfield Index, Trev Downey, standing in for Dave […]

The post Liverpool Rebuild: Downey on Frimpong, Wirtz and Slot’s New Shape appeared first on anfieldindex.com.

Categories: LFC NEWS, More News

Liverpool Rebuild: Downey on Frimpong, Wirtz and Slot’s New Shape

Anfie ldindex com - Tue, 06/24/2025 - 21:50
Join AI ProLiverpool’s Evolution Under Slot: Departures and Arrivals

With Jurgen Klopp gone and Arne Slot stepping into the dugout, Liverpool’s summer reshaping continues to fuel discussion. On the latest episode of The Daily Red from Anfield Index, Trev Downey, standing in for Dave Hendrick, brings both clarity and emotion to a range of topics, from Alisson’s legacy to Nicol’s scepticism of new signing Jeremie Frimpong.

The standout player farewell is Nat Phillips, who has finally sealed a permanent move to West Bromwich Albion after nine years at Liverpool. Trev marks the moment with warmth and detail: “That, my friends, is why we should all have warmth in our heart when we think of Nat Phillips… he stepped in when we were absolutely decimated and did a job which contributed to us actually getting Champions League qualification in quite a dramatic way.”

"It Can" & Alternative History: The #DailyRed Podcast@downeytrev looks at the latest #LFC news!

Out now! pic.twitter.com/qDHxLJAZOx

— AnfieldIndex (@AnfieldIndex) June 24, 2025

Nicol on Frimpong: “Is He Going to Get in Salah’s Way?”

One segment of the podcast takes aim at former Liverpool defender and now ESPN pundit Steve Nicol, who expressed doubts about Frimpong’s suitability. Trev didn’t hold back in response.

Quoting Nicol, Trev says: “‘If Salah is not fit, then Frimpong starts where Salah plays… Defensively, he’s not good. He’s just the same as Trent. He’s not that good a defender.’”

Trev’s response is sharp and dismissive of Nicol’s logic: “It’s just such a basic, borderline infantile way of analysing the situation… He’s talking about Mo Salah and Frimpong there and the two boys getting in each other’s way, like they don’t have a football brain between them.”

He continued, emphasising how team systems evolve under new managers: “It’s like he doesn’t understand that the team could slightly change its approach and shape. It has to be just, you know, like-for-like replacements. It’s a bit daft.”

Photo: IMAGO Klopp’s Sliding Doors Moment: “We Don’t Have the Money for Ali”

The episode also highlights a revealing quote from former manager Jürgen Klopp, featured in the new club documentary Alisson: My Story. According to Klopp, Liverpool nearly missed out on signing Alisson Becker due to a planned move for Nabil Fekir.

Trev quotes Klopp directly: “We were close to signing Fekir and if we sign Fekir, we don’t have the money for Ali. It was obviously a pretty important decision for the future of LFC.”

This insight repositions one of Liverpool’s most pivotal modern transfers as a near-miss, making Alisson’s impact even more profound in hindsight.

Photo: IMAGO Liverpool’s Strategic Shift: Frimpong and Florent Wirtz Central to New Plans

Discussing Frimpong’s arrival and Trent Alexander-Arnold’s departure, Trev notes that fans expecting direct replacements miss the point of a changing tactical landscape under Slot. “Frimpong or Bradley do not have to become Trent Alexander-Arnold. The team will be different.”

Trev’s bullishness about the season ahead is clear: “How can you not be excited to see what this team looks like with just that addition of one player? We’ve already improved by a factor of something quite large when you add one of the most coveted players in the world to your team.”

Closing Sentiment: Celebrating the Anfield Index Community

Trev closes the show by praising the Anfield Index community and the content being created across the channel: “It is, as I’ve said a million times before, I think the premier fan media entity out there and it’s an honour to be part of it.”

From Nicol’s controversial punditry to Phillips’s dignified send-off, this episode of The Daily Red captures the full spectrum of what it means to follow Liverpool FC in transition, with sharp insight, historical awareness, and genuine affection.

Join AI Pro

Adblock test (Why?)

Categories: LFC NEWS, More News

Liverpool can get bargain major transfer after Lyon relegation confirmed and enquiry made

LiverpoolEcho.co.uk - Tue, 06/24/2025 - 21:14
Latest Liverpool transfer news as Lyon's relegation from Ligue 1 could open the door to a bargain move
Categories: LFC NEWS, More News

Liverpool can get bargain major transfer after Lyon relegation confirmed and enquiry made

icLiverpool.co.uk - Tue, 06/24/2025 - 21:14
Latest Liverpool transfer news as Lyon's relegation from Ligue 1 could open the door to a bargain move
Categories: LFC NEWS, More News

Liverpool Youngster Set for Pre-Season Opportunity Under Arne Slot

anfieldindex.com - Tue, 06/24/2025 - 20:50

Owen Beck’s Pre-Season Opportunity Could Solve More Than One Problem Slot’s second summer offers clarity and ruthlessness Pre-season is more than just a warm-up. At Liverpool this summer, it will act as a gauge of character, a test of tactical flexibility, and, for some, a final audition. Under Arne Slot, the mood is shifting. His […]

The post Liverpool Youngster Set for Pre-Season Opportunity Under Arne Slot appeared first on anfieldindex.com.

Categories: LFC NEWS, More News

Liverpool Youngster Set for Pre-Season Opportunity Under Arne Slot

Anfie ldindex com - Tue, 06/24/2025 - 20:50
Join AI ProSlot’s second summer offers clarity and ruthlessness

Pre-season is more than just a warm-up. At Liverpool this summer, it will act as a gauge of character, a test of tactical flexibility, and, for some, a final audition. Under Arne Slot, the mood is shifting. His inaugural summer was a cautious introduction. Now, as the Daily Mail rightly notes, the Dutchman “will run the rule over players with a completely different tone.”

The club have given Slot a green light to be ruthless. There’s no longer an obligation to make square pegs fit into round holes. Instead, there’s a sharper focus: move on those who don’t fit, promote those who might.

It’s within this context that Owen Beck gets his chance. The Daily Mail reports that Owen Beck will get an opportunity in Liverpool’s pre-season squad. It’s a very, very smart move.

Photo: IMAGO Robertson’s uncertain future opens the door

Few positions look as fluid this summer as left-back. Andy Robertson could well be heading for Atlético Madrid, with the Spanish side reportedly preparing a move. While Milos Kerkez has been linked as his replacement, the bigger structural shift lies in the fate of Kostas Tsimikas.

The Greek international, a loyal deputy to Robertson for several seasons, is likely to leave. Should both Robertson and Tsimikas depart, Liverpool need two incoming options, one may be Beck.

Promoting Beck would align with Liverpool’s long-standing preference to back young talent when it makes sense. He has shown consistency during loan spells, and crucially, he ticks another important box in this reshaped squad.

Photo: IMAGO Homegrown quotas could shape squad decisions

The Premier League’s homegrown rule is often a backroom concern, but this summer it moves front and centre. With Trent Alexander-Arnold and Caoimhin Kelleher already gone, and Jarell Quansah potentially heading to Bayer Leverkusen, Liverpool’s current squad would actually breach homegrown regulations if left untouched.

Slot and the recruitment team know this, and Beck’s inclusion helps address it. As the Daily Mail reports: “Beck would alleviate that. He’s a homegrown player and if he can replace Tsimikas’s spot in the squad, the Reds improve on their quota.”

Natural chance for a familiar face

This is not just a tick-box exercise. Beck isn’t being handed a token role. The word from within Liverpool is that the opportunity will be real, a platform to prove he can hold his own in a high-intensity, possession-driven system.

Photo: IMAGO

Slot’s tactical demands, particularly from full-backs, are exacting. Yet Beck’s energy, intelligent overlaps, and positional maturity hint at a player who won’t look out of place. It’s an exciting time for a player who’s waited patiently in the shadows. Now, there’s a sense that the spotlight is finally his.

Our View – Anfield Index Analysis

Liverpool fans know a genuine opportunity when they see one, and this feels like exactly that for Owen Beck. His return to pre-season isn’t a gesture, it’s a reflection of smart planning by Arne Slot and the recruitment team. With Andy Robertson potentially off to Spain and Kostas Tsimikas also tipped to depart, there’s a clear vacancy.

But it’s more than just replacing numbers. Supporters have long pushed for the club to integrate youth, and Beck is no stranger to Liverpool’s philosophy. He understands what it means to wear the shirt, not just the pressure, but the pride too.

There’s a quiet confidence around this move. It also plays perfectly into the homegrown puzzle. Losing Kelleher, Trent and Quansah in one summer could be a major issue, unless the likes of Beck step up.

If he performs well in pre-season, it’s hard to argue against him staying in the squad permanently. Liverpool’s recent history has shown that the pathway from Kirkby to the first team is open, but only for those good enough. Fans will back Beck because he represents everything this new era under Slot seems to be about: belief in talent, strategic clarity, and a forward-looking identity.

Join AI Pro

Adblock test (Why?)

Categories: LFC NEWS, More News

Premier League ace sent clear Liverpool transfer message - 'That's the place to go'

Liverpool.com - Tue, 06/24/2025 - 20:03

With Jarell Quansah heading to Bayer Leverkusen, Liverpool will need to dip into the market for a replacement at center-back. And Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi has been put forward as one option under consideration.

The FA Cup winner has just a year left on his contract at Selhurst Park and Liverpool might be able to strike a deal for him below the asking price that was set last summer. A year ago, Guehi was valued at as much as $93 million (£70 million) when Newcastle United submitted several bids for him.

Now, though, with the pressure on Crystal Palace to either accept less or risk losing Guehi for nothing, Liverpool might spot an opportunity. And soccer pundit Darren Bent has a theory about what comes next.

"It's a difficult one, but if Liverpool come calling, certainly with the way Liverpool are recruiting at the minute and thickening their squad, that’s the place to go," Darren Bent said on talkSPORT.

"I get it, you may have to go there and battle for a spot, but I think Ibrahima Konate has got one year left. (Guehi) has got one year left, it might be best for all parties, including the player.

"Liverpool sell Konate to Real Madrid if they are willing to pay and then you buy Guehi, and then neither goes for free. You (both) get a fee for both players, and Guehi can go to Liverpool and start. I'm a big fan of his."

Marc Guehi. Marc Guehi. (Image: Photo by Sebastian Frej/MB Media/Getty Images)

Konate is yet to pen a contract extension at Anfield but the Frenchman spoke about his future after the final game of the season, insisting that nothing was decided yet.

"They made me an offer, and I replied to them with something, that is it," he said. "The rest, that I want to wait until the end [of his contract], all of it is completely fake."

After going for Trent Alexander-Arnold near the end of his deal at Liverpool, there has been speculation that Real Madrid could be lining up a similar move for Konate in 2026. PSG has been credited with an interest in him in the past.

This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more Fanatics Official Sports Apparel — Liverpool

In January, Konate was asked during a press conference if he had come close to signing a contract extension after confirming that an offer had been placed on the table. "That’s another conversation!" he said.

"Who talked about that a few months ago? The club didn’t say anything; I didn’t say anything.

"It’s one person that said that. I didn’t know, after I spoke with the club but I think I am really focused on what happens now. We will see what will happen."

Liverpool.com says: Guehi would be a solid option as a third-choice center-back but losing Konate, should it come to that, would be a worry. The center-back situation is one area that Richard Hughes will have to dedicate quite a lot of time to in the coming weeks.

Adblock test (Why?)

Categories: LFC NEWS

Darwin Nunez gives transfer 'green light' as Liverpool star's private chat revealed

LiverpoolEcho.co.uk - Tue, 06/24/2025 - 20:00
The very latest Liverpool FC transfer news as a Darwin Nunez conversation over a summer exit emerges.
Categories: LFC NEWS, More News

Darwin Nunez gives transfer 'green light' as Liverpool star's private chat revealed

icLiverpool.co.uk - Tue, 06/24/2025 - 20:00
The very latest Liverpool FC transfer news as a Darwin Nunez conversation over a summer exit emerges.
Categories: LFC NEWS, More News

Frimpong Names Top Four in Liverpool History and Eyes His Own Legacy

anfieldindex.com - Tue, 06/24/2025 - 19:50

Frimpong Eyes Greatness Among Liverpool Legends Liverpool’s historic stature draws another believer Liverpool’s pull remains magnetic. Whether it’s their six European Cups, the ferocious spirit of the Kop, or simply the red shirt steeped in football heritage, few clubs command the kind of reverence Liverpool do. For new signing Jeremie Frimpong, that affection runs deeper […]

The post Frimpong Names Top Four in Liverpool History and Eyes His Own Legacy appeared first on anfieldindex.com.

Categories: LFC NEWS, More News

Jeremie Frimpong explains why Liverpool transfer surprise for his father was ruined

Liverpool.com - Tue, 06/24/2025 - 19:10

Jeremie Frimpong was trying to surprise his dad, who is a Liverpool supporter, by hiding his move to Anfield from him. But that plan fell down when it was widely reported in the media.

"He’s a Liverpool fan, so when the rumors were coming out, I was like 'Oh dad, it’s not true, it’s not true'," Frimpong has explained to The Kop TV. "All the family members were like 'Let’s surprise him'.

"When it got too much, when Fabrizio Romano started talking, then obviously my dad’s not stupid, he was like 'Hey Jeremie, is it true?'. I had to travel, and my dad was at my house, and he was asking too many questions, 'Where you going?', this and that.

"So I was like 'Dad, I’m going to go to Liverpool to do my medical’ and he’s like ‘no, really?'. I was like ‘Yeah, Dad, I’m going to go play for your team’, and he was just like ‘No way’. It was a great reaction from him!"

Frimpong will be joined at Liverpool by his former Bayer Leverkusen teammate Florian Wirtz. And the pair, who met up while they were on vacation this summer, are good friends off the field.

"Now that it’s official, it’s the best feeling," Frimpong told Sky Germany this week. "When I first came to Leverkusen, Flo was the one that took me in. Now we’re doing it all over again — so it’s good.

Bayer Leverkusen's Dutch defender #30 Jeremie Frimpong (L) and Bayer Leverkusen's German midfielder #10 Florian Wirtz speak during the UEFA Champions League last 16, first-leg, football match FC Bayern Munich v Bayer 04 Leverkusen on March 5, 2025 in Munich, southern Germany. (Photo by Tobias SCHWARZ / AFP) (Photo by TOBIAS SCHWARZ/AFP via Getty Images) (Image: Getty Images)

"I've been in Leverkusen for four and a half years, and I won everything. I won the Pokal. I won the Super Cup. I won the Bundesliga. So I wanted a new challenge.

"With Celtic, I won the treble. With Leverkusen, the double. So in Liverpool, I also want to win trophies."

Frimpong has spent much of this week speaking about Wirtz, who has joined the Reds for a club-record deal worth up to $157 million (£116 million) including add-ons.

"That is my boy. Just expect a winner," the Dutch international told Sky Sports. "He is a very, very, very, special player. And for me, he's a very hard-working guy.

This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more Fanatics Official Sports Apparel — Liverpool

"The league will love him. And I ain't got to talk too much. Just watch. Flo, he doesn’t crumble under pressure; he's a guy that likes pressure. I feel like when you're on the pitch you forget about everything, you just enjoy football, you just play.

"Flo is one of the guys that makes you enjoy football, just seeing how he plays. He's going to be perfect and he's playing with Liverpool players, so he's going to be perfect. He’s going to be fine."

Liverpool.com says: Frimpong and Wirtz are both delighted to be at Anfield, which is hugely exciting. They should both be major success, and will offer new attacking threats to Arne Slot, which is exactly what he was looking for.

Adblock test (Why?)

Categories: LFC NEWS

Liverpool must consider the value of veterans in Andy Robertson decision

ThisIsAnfield.com - Tue, 06/24/2025 - 19:05

The value of veterans has been evident at top clubs in recent years, and Liverpool would be wise to carefully consider the effect on the squad of losing Andy Robertson.

Youth or experience? Hunger or know-how? Energy or expertise?

Conventional wisdom says that you need a bit of both to be a successful football team, but every side leans closer to one extreme or the other – it is impossible to stay in the middle.

Liverpool have tried to maintain that balance, re-signing a pair of 33-year-olds in Mo Salah and Virgil Van Dijk for next season, while already adding four players aged 24 and under to the squad.

That quartet represents the future of the club, but in the present, it could mean that some of Liverpool’s most celebrated performers will be consigned to the past.

Andy Robertson is at a crossroads

 Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Andy Robertson, Dominik Szoboszlai and staff come together to sing "You'll Never Walk Alone" after the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Crystal Palace FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

 Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Andy Robertson, Dominik Szoboszlai and staff come together to sing "You'll Never Walk Alone" after the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Crystal Palace FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Robertson has emerged as a transfer target for Atletico Madrid, and reports suggest that the Scotland captain is open to the possibility of joining his good friend Trent Alexander-Arnold in the Spanish capital.

He has one year remaining on his current contract and while he has spoken about discussing a new deal with the club, that currently feels like an unlikely outcome.

The prospect of spending his final year at Anfield as back-up for Milos Kerkez may not appeal to a proud footballer who still believes in his ability to compete at Champions League level.

There are many who wouldn’t agree with that assessment. Last season showed clear signs that Robertson was no longer in his prime.

 Liverpool's Arne Slot looks on as Andy Robertson walks off after being shown a red card and sent off during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Fulham FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

 Liverpool's Arne Slot looks on as Andy Robertson walks off after being shown a red card and sent off during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Fulham FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

He was given a torrid time by Noni Madueke and Bukayo Saka in back-to-back league games in October, before conceding two penalties in a week against Southampton and Real Madrid in November. By the time of his red card against Fulham in December, the calls for a new left-back among the fanbase were impossible to ignore.

And yet, Arne Slot picked him for the next league game at Tottenham and he retained his status as starting left-back until the Premier League was won.

In total, Robertson started 35 out of a possible 48 games across the Premier League and Champions League, and he was granted the responsibility to lead an inexperienced side in Eindhoven from the unfamiliar position of centre-back. There is no doubt that he retained the trust of his head coach.

Liverpool must weigh up their options

 Liverpool's head coach Arne Slot during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Wolverhampton Wanderers FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

 Liverpool's head coach Arne Slot during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Wolverhampton Wanderers FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

For sporting director Richard Hughes and the key decision-makers, it is a difficult decision as to what represents the best value.

Is it better to remove a high wage earner and get a fee, even a ‘small’ one, for someone who could leave for nothing in 12 months?

Or should they keep a key member of the playing squad and the leadership group, a man who knows what it takes to win and retains a strong influence among the younger players?

The value of veterans is a topic debated across all team sports and goes beyond what they produce on the pitch.

[embedded content]

[embedded content]

It also encompasses providing leadership across a long, perilous season, maintaining standards in training and cultivating a culture that makes new members feel like part of the group and therefore able to give their best.

These intangibles are impossible to definitively assess and, as a result, there are a multitude of differing examples.

NBA star Udonis Haslem spent 20 years with the Miami Heat, winning three championships alongside LeBron James and Dwyane Wade. However, for the final seven seasons of his career, he didn’t play more than 16 out of 82 regular-season games.

His role was as the ambassador for ‘Heat Culture’, enforcing their strict guidelines within the locker room and on the team plane in the moments and spaces where the coaches had no influence.

Haslem was seen by all as integral to teams that reached the NBA Finals in 2020 and 2023, despite barely stepping on the court.

 Manchester City's goalkeeper Scott Carson during the pre-match warm-up before the UEFA Champions League Group C match between Manchester City FC and Olympique de Marseille at the City of Manchester Stadium. Manchester City won 3-0. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

 Manchester City's goalkeeper Scott Carson during the pre-match warm-up before the UEFA Champions League Group C match between Manchester City FC and Olympique de Marseille at the City of Manchester Stadium. Manchester City won 3-0. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

The closest we’ve seen to Haslem in the Premier League is Scott Carson.

The former Liverpool, Leeds and Derby goalkeeper spent six seasons at Man City as third-choice goalkeeper, and he became a popular member of the squad that won four consecutive league titles as well as the treble in 2022/23, all while making just one solitary appearance.

His dedication on the training pitch, the motivation of those he knew would stop him from seeing action and his innate ability to lighten the mood were vital not only to those at the elite level, but according to Pep Guardiola, he was the perfect role model for young players looking to reach those heights.

“The best advice I could give to the young players is to stay around Scott Carson as much as possible in the locker room and on the pitch,” Guardiola said in 2022.

“It would be better than being with me. It’s like the young actors have to be with the old actors on the set. They are wiser and have the values of the profession.”

Wataru Endo’s role as a ‘closer’ has its merits

 Liverpool's Wataru Endo celebrates with the trophy after the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Crystal Palace FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

 Liverpool's Wataru Endo celebrates with the trophy after the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Crystal Palace FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Liverpool have benefited from similar qualities from their former third goalkeeper Adrian, who was given a new deal at a time when he was unlikely to get more game time.

There is an even more recent example in Wataru Endo. Thirty-four starts in Klopp’s final season turned into just seven in 2024/25, as he was reduced to the position of the closer, tasked with protecting a lead in 10-minute cameos.

In a World Cup year, it would be understandable if the captain of Japan wanted to feature more often, but Endo has already ended any speculation about a potential departure this summer.

The 32-year-old channelled any disappointment in his demotion into motivation to be a star in his role, saying (h/t Soccer Digest): “In the professional world, you have to show the meaning of your existence.

“I don’t think people would call me a closer if I had entered the game with 10 minutes left and conceded every time.”

That level of pride in your work is infectious and at a big club like Liverpool, where there will be talented players who aren’t getting the minutes they feel they deserve, a man like Endo is crucial to retain squad harmony.

“But what about the other side of pride, when your pride doesn’t allow you to accept a role on the bench, particularly after years as a starter?

Jordan Henderson was widely praised for his leadership qualities, but when the moment came to step aside into the shadows, he asked to leave. Unlike his able deputy James Milner, he felt he couldn’t hide his individual frustrations for the good of the collective.

Liverpool’s rivals are taking varying approaches

 Liverpool's Cody Gakpo (R) icb' Manchester City's Bernardo Silva during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Manchester City FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

 Liverpool's Cody Gakpo (R) icb' Manchester City's Bernardo Silva during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Manchester City FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

In some cases, it may be beneficial if your reserves are young and hungry rather than old and disgruntled – that’s certainly the opinion at Stamford Bridge.

The transfer policy of the owners, Clearlake Capital, is to fill the squad with talented youngsters. Last season, none of the 29 players who took to the field in the Premier League were over the age of 29. The only man in his 30s at the club, Marcus Bettinelli, has just been sold to Manchester City.

For their part, Man City are at the other end of the spectrum, with nine players in their 30s featuring, although only Ederson, Ilkay Gundogan and Bernardo Silva can be considered integral.

Many of those nine have been rumoured to be on the move, with Kevin De Bruyne having already departed. However, Bernardo has just been named club captain, so there will be some totems of success still in place.

According to most observers, Man City failed last season because they were too old. Chelsea’s title challenge fell apart because they had no experienced head to guide them through the tough times.

Liverpool, with five players over the age of 30, and Endo the only one not to break the 3000-minute barrier, appear to have got the balance just right, but as the Robertson rumours prove, it is a perpetual problem.

Adblock test (Why?)

Categories: LFC NEWS

Pages

Subscribe to LFC.SUpporters aggregator - LFC NEWS