Positives Are Thin, Squad Needs Are Not

Strip away the noise and the feeling is pretty straightforward: there are some positives around the squad, but not enough of them, and not enough of the right kind. A few lads are settling in, a few proven names are still delivering, yet the overall picture still looks like a transition that could drag if it isn’t backed properly.

The new lads: useful, but where are the game-changers?

Frimpong looks like he’s starting to find his feet. You can see the tools there, the energy, and he’s shaping up like a decent squad option rather than someone who transforms the side on his own.

Kerkez feels slightly different in that you’d expect him to claim a starting role if things click. Same idea though: early signs are encouraging, but it’s not screaming “world beater” yet.

Wirtz is the big one for me. He’s improved and he does look lively, but there’s a gap between “lively” and the sort of player you build your whole attack around. Maybe that leap still comes, but right now it’s not quite what plenty of us expected.

Ekitike, meanwhile, brings something positive. There’s a bit of movement, a bit of threat, and he’s shown earlier in the season he can score. If he’s a squad option, fine. If he’s meant to be the answer, that’s when the questions start.

The reliable core, and the fitness worry

There are still players you trust. Szoboszlai being consistent matters because consistency is what keeps you afloat in the Premier League when the rest is wobbling. Alisson, too, remains a top keeper, and it says a lot that he still feels like one of the few givens in the side.

Then there’s Isak. It’s hard to talk about plans without putting an asterisk next to fitness. Fingers crossed he gets fit and stays fit, because the whole squad balance looks different when you can actually rely on your forward options week to week.

What we still need: the list is too long

Even being generous, it feels like we’ve got five or six proper first-team level players for the future. That leaves a shopping list that reads like a rebuild: two centre-backs, a right winger or left winger, maybe a right-back, and a proper defensive midfielder.

And it doesn’t stop there. If squad lads like Endo and Chiesa move on, you’re suddenly talking about needing extra depth as well, unless Trey and Rio step up quickly. That’s how you end up stuck in the middle, not terrible, not quite there, always one injury away from looking thin.

Money-wise, I originally thought net £175m might do it. Thinking about it now, it probably takes more. And if you’re relying on fees coming in for Mo and Macca to go big again, you’re basically admitting this transition could roll on for years. Not getting a fee for Konate would feel like another avoidable blow on top.

Written by Hugo Spritz: 25 January 2026