Planning Liverpool’s Next Refresh Without Panic

There’s a certain point in every season where your mind drifts from the next match to the next cycle. Who’s got two years left? Who might fancy a change? And, more importantly, are we actually set up to refresh the squad without ripping the heart out of it?

That’s the balance Liverpool have to get right. Be proactive, but not frantic. Spend smart, but also recognise that if you try to replace three or four leaders in one go, you don’t just lose minutes, you lose personality, standards, and the little bits of know-how that win tight games.

Goalkeeper and the value of calm

Starting at the back, Alisson is one of the few positions where I’m not panicking. If there’s talk of an extension, fine. Keep the best and buy time. The interesting bit is what happens underneath him: is Jaros the sort of internal solution you trust to bridge a gap, or do you go external with someone like Mamardashvili?

Liverpool have generally preferred a clean succession plan in goal, and you can see why. It’s such a rhythm position. If the staff believe a younger keeper is ready, I’m all for giving that pathway real meaning rather than just saying “youth” and never doing it.

The left side: legs, timing, and succession

At left-back, Robertson’s situation naturally makes people think about timing. Not because he can’t play, but because the role asks for repeated sprints, constant recovery runs, and big moments in transition. If you’re mapping the next phase, you can understand the Kerkez-type links, and then the next question becomes: where does Chambers fit?

Is he an understudy who develops into a serious option, or do you sign a ready-made starter and let Chambers learn in the cups and quieter league games? Either route is fine, but it needs committing to. Half-measures usually leave you short on both development and quality.

Centre-backs and midfield: the expensive bit

Centre-half is where it gets pricey quickly. If you’re talking about Virg and the Konate bracket, you’re basically shopping at the top shelf. Bastoni gets mentioned because he looks like that rare thing: class on the ball and proper defending in his bones. Schlotterbeck is another name that crops up in the same kind of conversation. For Konate cover or succession, Guehi feels like the obvious profile people point at.

Then there’s Mac Allister. Replacing that mix of calm, bite, and tempo-setting isn’t easy. Anderson and Wharton are the sort of names fans gravitate towards because they look like midfielders who can handle pressure and keep the ball moving. But again, you’re not buying cheap.

Which is why the last part of this chat matters: you can’t build a “shopping list” of Bastoni, Olise and Wharton, then throw in a January Guehi, without it costing a fortune. If you’re offsetting it by selling big names, the whole squad balance changes. That’s the gamble.

Up front, it’s the same story. If you’re even entertaining life after Mo, you’re talking about replacing output and presence. Semenyo and Olise are the kinds of names that come up for a reason, but they also feel difficult. Maybe the answer is partly internal: could Rio cover either wing? And what do you do with the Chiesa situation?

And finally, the Endo-shaped question: do we mould someone like Nyoni into that type of role, and can Bajcetic finally get a clear run and make the conversation simpler? Truth is, a bit of luck with fitness and development can save you tens of millions. That’s what makes this kind of speculation more than just festive daydreaming.

Written by Ernest Millar: 29 December 2025