3 transfers Liverpool should make this summer including Jonathan Tah and Takefusa Kubo

Arne Slot is preparing for his first season as Liverpool's head coach and has already admitted to discussing recruitment strategies with sporting director Richard Hughes.

Liverpool's model, like many other teams, is to buy younger prospects and develop them into world-class talents, something former head coach Jurgen Klopp did well. Liverpool focused heavily on the midfield position last summer, as they brought in Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Wataru End, and Ryan Gravenberch.

Although Endo performed brilliantly in a holding midfield role last season, he wasn't Liverpool's first-choice signing and was brought in as a temporary fix due to his experience at the age of 31. The defensive midfield position will be crucial for Slot as he imposes his philosophy on the team, and it could be a priority this summer.

Liverpool has an elite-level roster and Alisson, Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah are all seen as some of the best players in world soccer in their respective positions. But all three are aging and Slot must ensure that ready-made replacements are at the club, which may be in his mind when it comes to navigating his first transfer window as Liverpool coach. Here, Liverpool.com looks at three players Slot should consider signing this summer.

Jonathan Tah

Joel Matip confirmed that he would leave Liverpool at the end of last season after eight years, and the team is in need of another center-back option. Jonathan Tah was named in the Bundesliga Team of the Season following his invincible domestic season with Bayer Leverkusen, and despite being in the form of his life he could be available for less than his market value.

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Tah, 28, has been with Leverkusen since 2015 but his contract expires next summer, meaning that the Bundesliga champions could sell the defender if he fails to sign an extension. Tah would be the perfect partner to Van Dijk, something Klopp experimented with last season.

Matip and Ibrahima Konate both dealt with fitness issues in 2023-24, and young prospect Jarell Quansah proved his worth with 17 Premier League appearances last season. Liverpool also has Joe Gomez on the books and Sepp van den Berg is returning from a season-long loan at Mainz, although his future remains unclear.

Morten Hjulmand

Liverpool is in need of a natural holding midfield player who can not only replace Endo in the near future but also apply pressure to prospect Stefan Bajcetic. With Slot switching between a 4-3-3 and 4-2-3-1 formation, defensive stability is needed in the Liverpool midfield and the team was exposed at times last season.

Morten Hjulmand only earned a move to Sporting Lisbon last summer but has been subject to mass interest around Europe after a strong season with the Portuguese club. Hjulmand, 24, has also looked impressive for Denmark during Euro 2024 and scored during a 1-1 draw against England.

Hjulmand is a physical holding midfield player who also likes to push forward, and his eye for goal will excite Slot. He is contracted through 2028 which means Sporting could demand a large fee, and Transfermarkt currently values the Danish midfielder at $42.5 million.

Takefusa Kubo

Although it's not something that Liverpool fans want to hear, Salah won't be at his best forever. The Egyptian has consistently been Liverpool's best offensive threat since signing for the team in 2017, but he's recently turned 32 and will need to be replaced at some stage.

Real Sociedad and Japan winger Takefusa Kubo has been attracting interest since his breakthrough La Liga season in 2022-23, and he was previously on the roster at Real Madrid although he never made a competitive appearance. Liverpool is secured down the left wing with Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota, but only Ben Doak is behind Salah on the roster, and Harvey Elliott has also played out wide.

Kubo, 23, is not only a natural right-winger but he's also played as an attacking midfielder for Sociedad which could be a position revived at Liverpool by Slot. Since Philippe Coutinho left Liverpool in 2018 the team hasn't had a natural No. 10, but Kubo can play centrally or out wide, giving Slot options.

Sociedad handed Kubo a large contract when signing him in 2022, meaning he's contracted through 2029. Transfermarkt currently values the Japan international at $53.5 million, and Sociedad has been known for cashing in on top talent such as Alexander Isak, Antoine Griezmann, and even Xabi Alonso in the past.