Liverpool fans are still waiting with increasing impatience for a first signing of the summer, although two confirmed transfers today could soon have an impact on the Reds.
Arne Slot takes charge of LFC in a competitive fixture for the first time on Saturday when his team travel to Portman Road to face Ipswich in their opening Premier League game of 2024/25, and our opponents have just sealed a shrewd piece of double business.
The East Anglian outfit have announced the permanent signing of Sammie Szmodics from Blackburn Rovers, while also securing a season-long loan deal for Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips.
The club have stated in the respective transfer announcements that both players will be available to feature against Liverpool tomorrow, if selected by Kieran McKenna.
Phillips will view his temporary move to Ipswich as a shot at redemption, having failed to make much impact at Manchester City since his £45m transfer two years ago and also endured a miserable loan spell at West Ham last season, during which he clashed with some of the club’s fans.
The midfielder’s stock has slumped drastically since his starring role in England’s run to the final of Euro 2020, but he showed in that tourament (and during his time with Leeds) that he can perform excellently at a high level.
Meanwhile, Szmodics was the Championship’s top scorer last term with 27 goals for Blackburn, and although he’s never played in the Premier League, his sensational form over the past 12 months should serve as ample notice of his abilities.
With Ipswich only announcing both signings today but still doing so in time for them to potentially feature against Liverpool tomorrow, Arne Slot and his staff will have two more players to analyse in the 24 hours leading up to the Portman Road fixture.
The Reds would be wise to combat the qualities that Phillips and Szmodics could add to McKenna’s side, but hopefully the quality that we demonstrated in pre-season will come to the fore and that, just like against Norwich in 2021, we can leave East Anglia with an opening day victory.
