Arne Slot is about to face several 'problems' at Liverpool but truth of first summer is clear

Arne Slot hasn't been spotted yet since arriving for his first day of officially working for Liverpool, but the Reds' new head coach will have been making plans well in advance of June 1. Well before his move from Feyenoord was announced, he made no secret that his next step was on his mind in a series of very open press conferences.

Once he has settled on Merseyside, though, with the Dutchman needing to get used to his new surroundings, Slot will face some intriguing dilemmas that he will need to solve. While Liverpool needs to add even more quality to its squad this summer and there are big contracts that need sorting out, there are already some big tactical questions that are brewing.

With some, pre-season might be the way to determine the best outcome. With others, Slot might already have made his mind up. Indeed, with a few of them, the interview process that saw him become the favored candidate to take over from Jurgen Klopp almost certainly contained queries about his possible plans.

READ MORE: Liverpool just got Champions League reminder with Jurgen Klopp watching as Arne Slot faces two tasks

READ MORE: 'I played for Liverpool and am friends with Arne Slot - he's the perfect Jurgen Klopp successor'

For instance, the never-ending Trent Alexander-Arnold question is something that Slot will be asked about quickly. There is a good chance that the pair have already spoken about where the Liverpool number 66 will be deployed, and while there are arguments for and against him moving into midfield, the change of head coach means they will be explored all over again.

That is, though, in the grand scheme of things, a nice problem to have. Where do you play a generational talent who has already won the lot and become the vice-captain of his boyhood side? Liverpool needs to ensure that Alexander-Arnold signs a new contract but positionally, Slot has the definition of a first-world problem.

The same can be said about his decisions in the Liverpool attack, even before a new forward might be signed during the summer window. Getting more from Darwin Nunez needs to be a priority but few coaches in world soccer have the depth that Slot will inherit and there could be more added to that before pre-season begins.

Slot's midfield configuration — either a double pivot or the usual Klopp three with one holding player and two on either side — will see some winners and losers too, though overall the Liverpool squad looks better suited to the latter set-up, containing plenty of number 10s who have been made into number eights.

And then there are the decisions over young players: how best to ease Stefan Bajcetic back into things, where to play Bobby Clark, and whether or not Kaide Gordon needs to head out on loan. Again, though, those are nice issues to be working through. Slot will be starting from a position of strength.

To the negative mind, each of these things is a potential headache for Slot to solve, and getting the best from Nunez and Alexander-Arnold, certainly, will be key. Ultimately, though, those are players that any coach would love to inherit.

It might be that the Uruguayan never takes the next step at Anfield, but Slot should be relishing the chance to try and help him do it. It might be that the Alexander-Arnold question is one that is spoken about for the rest of his career and we never get a definitive answer.

When it comes to taking over a big club, though, Slot has a rare opportunity. There is no dumpster fire that needs to be put out here but a solid base from which to begin constructing on — the building blocks being the big but exciting and potential-filled decisions he will soon be making.