Arne Slot explains Liverpool summer transfer plans after 'extreme' change to Premier League

Arne Slot

Arne Slot is adamant Liverpool's recruitment plans will not be affected by the shift towards a more direct style of play in the Premier League this season.

The Reds have suffered a disappointing defence of their record-equalling 20th championship, not helped by more teams assuming a more aggressive, set-piece led approach.

Slot admitted on Monday most of the games he had watched in the Premier League this season were "not a joy to watch", echoing concerns from an increasing number of observers about the entertainment value offered by the division.

Having been least productive side at set-pieces in the top-flight until the turn of the year, no team has scored from more non-penalty dead-ball situations in the Premier League this calendar year than Liverpool.

Such potency has rekindled hopes of guaranteed Champions League qualification, with the Reds aiming to temporarily move into third spot with victory at rock-bottom Wolves on Tuesday evening.

But Slot has explained Liverpool will remain aligned to the long-established Fenway Sports Group transfer policy when they look to strengthen their squad in the summer.

Slot

"We have our own model over here, as I said many times, and our model is that we sign young players," said the Reds boss.

"It's normal for younger players that they have to adapt usually more towards the Premier League, than if you sign players that have already played in the Premier League, that are 27 and are already in the end of their physical (growth).

“But it's exactly the reason why we have our model, because we believe that players can get better. This club has shown that we can achieve things, as we did six years ago and last season, with our model."

Liverpool underwent an extensive squad overhaul last summer and have already agreed a £60million deal to sign 20-year-old French centre-back Jeremy Jacquet from Rennes at the end of the season.

And Slot added: "A rebuild takes time, a transition takes time, and that's what we did last summer.

“But we didn't expect the league to become like it did this season. You couldn't know this because last season it wasn't as extreme as it is this season.

"That is usually what happens. If a team has a success in a certain area then it is being copied. Ten to 15 years ago a lot of people wanted to play like Barcelona.

"Let's hope the one that wins the World Cup has a great style of play, wins it by scoring open play goal after open play goal and doesn't win it for a different reason.

"(The Premier League is) powerful in the sense that every ball is being kicked forward, especially in the beginning of the season, that was especially against us.

That has settled down a little bit in my opinion. in the first 10 games or something, it was just long ball after long ball after long ball, direct style."

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