So ends the phoney war. With both the European Championships and Copa America now consigned to the history books, the transfer window can now begin in earnest.
For Liverpool, though, that also means the start of the silly season. And the last of the confetti was still falling from the post-match celebrations on either side of the globe when the names began dropping on Anfield in a similarly carefree fashion on Monday.
This transfer window was always going to be made up of several false starts. The first came when it opened a month ago, the ongoing international tournaments meaning there was little chance of a flurry of business during the opening weeks.
Then the second arrived at the end of June, when the rush for certain teams to conclude deals to meet the Premier League’s profit and sustainability regulations led to some curious and surprising movements, often between affected clubs.
Now, though, the real business can begin. The new season – and a new era under head coach Arne Slot – will begin on August 17 with a trip to promoted Ipswich Town, with the transfer window officially closing at 11pm on August 30.
And it’s likely to be nearer to those dates that Slot and new sporting director Richard Hughes gain a greater understanding of what is required in terms of where the squad should be strengthened and, due to inevitable departures, it needs to be.
“When August starts and coaches have had more time to work with players, I think the opinions will then be more set at football clubs,” said Hughes on his official unveiling earlier this month. “You then may see a situation in August, there is a little bit of a hurry to get things done and to make sure everyone’s squads are in order. I see a quiet July, then a crescendo in August.”
That didn’t stop the speculation going into the overdrive at the start of the week. Liverpool were linked with several players, the most prominent of which was Crystal Palace centre-back Marc Guehi, who became first choice for England during the Euros. The Reds, however, have no interest in signing the 24-year-old.
They are also not contemplating an imminent move for RB Leipzig’s French defender Mohamed Simakan, despite their regular dealings with the German club in recent seasons. And the ECHO also understands there is no suggestion of a swoop for Karim Adeyemi, the 22-year-old winger who starred for the Borussia Dortmund side that reached the Champions League final last season.
While the overhaul behind the scenes prompted by Jurgen Klopp’s departure in May has meant Liverpool have, by definition, been unable to truly map out a long-term transfer plan given the immediate need for Slot and Hughes to assess their current charges, they won’t fall into the trap of being swayed by international performances over the last month.
The Reds won’t be alone. In truth, it was another deeply underwhelming Euros, continuing the trend since it was bumped up from 16 to 24 teams for the 2016 edition. More games and more below-average squads have resulted in fewer memorable games, a greater reliance on defensive football and a lack of tactical innovation.
With very few outstanding individual performances across the tournament – and one of those was from a current Liverpool player in Cody Gakpo – there hasn’t been the usual clamour to sign burgeoning talent. And the Copa America wasn’t any better, where the average number of goals per game was the tournament’s second lowest in the last 35 years.
Liverpool’s main Premier League rivals have also largely remained dormant in the transfer market for similar reasons. However, with signs of life starting to appear elsewhere, some supporters are becoming twitchy over the lack of concrete moves from the Reds.
There has been a long-term interest in Lille centre-back Leny Yoro although with the understanding the teenager prefers a move to Real Madrid. That Liverpool, who have bitter experience of being beaten to targets by the European Super League backers, have not followed Manchester United in tabling a bid indicates they have realistically accepted the player is bound for the Bernabeu.
Indeed, it underlines why there isn’t at present an obvious priority in the market for Liverpool, despite there being clear areas for improvement. Their options remain open. Numbers suggest few would be surprised if a new centre-back arrives in the next six weeks, while even Wataru Endo has stated another defensive midfield is perhaps required.
And while Liverpool have been assessing a number of wide forwards, any move will be dependent on whether Paris Saint-Germain or, as is being more heavily touted, Barcelona make an offer for Luis Diaz. The Reds will not consider even entertaining the Colombian’s departure unless a replacement has been lined up. Any other moves would be dependent on exits, with question marks of goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher in particular.
This, then, is a summer that, as Hughes has intimated, will be something of a slow burner. While Liverpool have always been keen to avoid a mad dash on deadline day, adapting to both their new-look structure and the impact of two major international tournaments may this time leave them with no other choice. They are having to cram into several months what under Klopp became years of long-term planning.
Regardless, the shadow boxing is over. The gloves are now off in the transfer market – and the first real test of the new-look Liverpool recruitment team has started in earnest.