Chapter 938 - 28: Champions League Semifinals
Paris Saint-Germain, after their defeat in the first round, did not produce a miracle in the second round either. Real Madrid successfully advanced to the Champions League semifinals, where their opponent will be Liverpool from the Premier League.
After Klopp left, many did not trust his successor, but in his first season of coaching, he helped the team win the Premier League title, and in the new season, Liverpool made exceptional big signings.
Many fans even joked if Liverpool was acting incompetent under Klopp!
This summer transfer window, Liverpool Club announced that they have signed 22-year-old German midfielder Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen, with a contract lasting until 2030. It’s reported that the transfer fee reached 150 million euros. Wirtz is the third player Liverpool signed this summer, having previously signed right-back Frimpong from Bayer Leverkusen for 40 million euros, and also secured Hungarian left-back Khell Kaz from Bournemouth for 40 million pounds.
As the reigning Premier League champions, Liverpool spent money like water in the transfer window, with spending exceeding 200 million euros. The scary part is it’s not over yet, as Liverpool is reportedly targeting another center-back and a forward. Which Premier League team can stop the Reds from defending their title?
Last season, Slot took over from Klopp as Liverpool’s new head coach. His best coaching resume prior was leading Feyenoord to the Eredivisie title, with coaching experience limited to the Netherlands. His arrival was seen as an adventure by the Fenway group; few believed he could manage the squad Klopp left behind.
Moreover, Liverpool didn’t make any significant signings in the summer of 2024. Goalkeeper Mamardashvili, signed for 30 million euros, was loaned back to Valencia; forward Chiesa, signed for 12 million euros, spent most of the season injured.
In such circumstances, Slot led Liverpool to win the Premier League title with absolute superiority early on, and they finished first in the group stage of the Champions League. However, they were knocked out by the eventual champions Paris Saint-Germain in a penalty shootout in the Champions League Round of 16.
Slot’s first season coaching Liverpool, with almost no new signings, delivered results significant enough to leave an unforgettable mark in Liverpool’s history. His second season is much anticipated by fans!
As June arrived, Manchester City and Chelsea were still participating in the FIFA Club World Cup in the United States, but Liverpool had already made aggressive moves in the transfer market, signing three new players consecutively.
The first is Dutch right-back Frimpong from Bayer Leverkusen. Frimpong, 24, made 190 appearances for Bayer Leverkusen, contributed 30 goals and 44 assists; his goal efficiency even surpasses that of Arnold. Although Frimpong’s market value is 50 million euros, Liverpool signed him for just 40 million euros due to the release clause in his contract.
Frimpong’s arrival almost perfectly fills the gap left by Arnold’s departure, maintaining Liverpool’s strength at the right-back position consistent with last season.
The second is Wirtz, the German genius coveted by major clubs in Europe. Among the competition from Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, and Manchester City, choosing to join Liverpool was indeed a surprise.
There are two versions of the transfer fee for Wirtz: one reported by Romano as 150 million euros and another confirmed by German transfer market as 125 million euros. Either version makes Wirtz surpass Enzo Fernandez’s 121 million euros, becoming the highest transfer fee player in Premier League history.
Wirtz’s arrival allows Liverpool to form a midfield trio of Wirtz (valued at 140 million euros), Mac Allister (valued at 100 million euros), and Soboslo (valued at 80 million euros), with a total value reaching 320 million euros. It is enough to become the most luxurious and attacking midfield in the Premier League and even throughout Europe.
Moreover, on the bench, Liverpool have Gravenberch, Curtis Jones, and Elliott—players who are good enough to be starters in other Premier League teams.
After Wirtz, set to join Liverpool is Hungarian left-back Khell Kaz from Bournemouth.
Bournemouth finished 9th in the Premier League last season and is one of the teams with the best defense in the league. Performances from defensive stars Heysen, Zabarnyi, and Khell Kaz were crucial.
Currently, Heysen has joined Real Madrid for 62.5 million euros, Zabarnyi was transferred to Paris Saint-Germain for 60 million euros, and Khell Kaz is about to join Liverpool for 40 million pounds. Both clubs have agreed on the transfer fee.
The 21-year-old Khell Kaz made 41 appearances for Bournemouth last season, contributing 2 goals and 5 assists, currently valued at 45 million euros.
24-year-old Georgian goalkeeper Mamardashvili also joined Liverpool. In fact, he signed with Liverpool last summer but stayed another season at Valencia; he reports back on July 1, 2025.
Currently, Liverpool’s main goalkeeper is 32-year-old Alisson, whose performance was stable and excellent last season. If Alisson stays, Mamardashvili will become his backup or be loaned out by Liverpool again; if Alisson leaves, the Georgian will guard the goal for the Reds next season.
In either scenario, Liverpool fans will not worry about the goalkeeper position.
In the center-back position, Liverpool’s main combination last season was Van Dijk and Konate. However, the Dutch center-back is already 33 years old. Although he has renewed his contract with the team until June 2027, Liverpool is still planning ahead, aiming to sign another center-back during the summer window.