After a turbulent 2025-26 campaign, Liverpool’s most pressing priority isn’t the transfer market — it’s finding a new manager to replace the sacked Arne Slot.
Slot was shown the door following a fifth-place Premier League finish, a steep decline from the title triumph that preceded it. While there were extenuating factors, he drew pointed public criticism from Mohamed Salah, and the club’s failure to secure Champions League football was deemed unacceptable given the heavy spending of the previous summer. Andoni Iraola, who made his name at Bournemouth, is the frontrunner to take charge and is expected to put his own stamp on the squad.
As Iraola prepares to step in, a potential player exchange with Inter Milan is taking shape. The Italian giants want Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones, though the two clubs remain far apart on a fee. Liverpool are holding firm at €30m, a full €10m above what Inter are willing to spend. Jones, however, is eager to make the move to Serie A — a preference he has maintained since January, when Inter made a formal approach. Despite reported interest from Newcastle United, he is said to favour Italy over remaining in England.
On the flip side, Liverpool are weighing up a move for Inter wing-back Denzel Dumfries. With Jeremie Frimpong — signed last summer — not a natural right-back, and Conor Bradley only just returning from injury, the position remains an area of concern. According to Gazzetta dello Sport via Sport Witness, the Reds are considering triggering Dumfries’ €25m release clause, with the 29-year-old keen to seek a fresh challenge elsewhere.
The numbers, notably, align rather neatly — Jones to Inter for €30m, Dumfries to Liverpool for €25m — leaving room for a deal that could satisfy both clubs.
