Merson: Slot has been left with big ‘problem’ after ‘ridiculous’ Liverpool transfer development | OneFootball

Paul Merson has claimed that Arne Slot could be left with ‘a few problems’ at Liverpool if one prospective deadline day transfer goes through.

The Reds have made several headline additions to their squad over the past three months, most notably Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike, and the biggest one of the lot could still be to come once Alexander Isak’s impending move is officially confirmed.

Many pundits have proclaimed the Premier League champions to have had the best transfer window of any top-flight club this summer, but the former Arsenal midfielder fears that the head coach could find it difficult to devise a tactical setup to get the best out of the players at his disposal.

Merson: Isak arrival could leave Slot with ‘a few problems’

Speaking on Sky Sports News in relation to the prospective arrival of Isak, Merson said: “The problem now is Slot’s got decisions to make. If Ekitike comes in, Gakpo won’t play. If Gakpo goes out to the left, then Ekitike won’t play. He’s got a few problems coming up.

“For me, Szoboszlai plays. I know he’s filled in at right-back, but he’ll have to come back into midfield. Did they win the league last year because their midfield was outstanding with Gravenberch, Mac Allister and Szoboszlai?

“All the sudden Wirtz is in there, a £100m player, and at the moment it isn’t working. He’s got a lot of decisions to make. I just think, why don’t they sort it out early doors instead of waiting until the last minute? It’s ridiculous, really.”

(Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)

Slot will welcome the pleasant selection headache, not curse it!

We get the point that Merson is making, but surely it’s better to have a surplus of options from which to choose, rather than being forced to shoehorn players into unfamiliar positions in order to plug a gap which has been left due to injuries.

Once the upcoming international break is completed, Liverpool face into a punishing sequence of seven matches in 21 days as their Champions League and Carabao Cup commitments begin, and they’ll have similarly intense blocks of fixtures throughout the campaign.

Therefore, the importance of having a deep squad and being able to rotate between various options without diminishing the overall strength of the starting XI can’t be overstated.

Merson is right in suggesting that it’d be harsh on Dominik Szoboszlai to drop out of the line-up, having enjoyed such a terrific start to the season. The Hungarian will have plenty of opportunities to play, though, not least because of his new-found versatility in defence and midfield.

Likewise, Gakpo and Ekitike have done nothing wrong to deserve being dropped once Isak’s transfer is confirmed, but the necessity for rotation will ensure that all of Liverpool’s forwards have ample game-time in the coming months.

Believe us, Slot will welcome the pleasant selection headache!