Liverpool told to sign former Premier League striker as Arne Slot faces transfer decision

It is set to be a season of change for Liverpool as they adapt to life without Jurgen Klopp over the summer.

The German has said his goodbyes to the club in a reception on Tuesday night. But behind-the-scenes work will already be going on for what the club hope to be a successful first season under new head coach Arne Slot.

The Dutchman officially starts his role at the start of next month, but that doesn’t stop the preparations. So it’s no surprise to see the club linked with transfers both in and out with the summer transfer window fast approaching.

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With that in mind, here is a look at some of the latest news around Anfield. We've also given our own take on the stories.

Liverpool told to sign striker

Liverpool have been told to make a move for Hoffenheim striker Andrej Kramaric this summer with the Croatian named as an option for the club by former player Igor Biscan.

The Reds have had Darwin Nunez as their main striking option in the season just gone, although Cody Gakpo, Diogo Jota, and Mohamed Salah can also play centrally. But Biscan believes that Slot needs ‘a propper centre-forward’ going into the new season.

“At times this season it looked to me that they might need a really good finisher in front of goal,” he said, via TeamTalk. “I would go for a proper centre-forward, a goalscorer, because they’ve created so many chances this season and missed a lot. That is the reason they didn’t stay in the title race. I would love to see Andrej Kramaric at Liverpool, or any Croatian playing at Anfield in a red shirt, it’s always unbelievable.

“But if he does well at [the] Euros, then who knows? He could be a possibility. They need a good centre-forward, someone who is guaranteed 20-odd goals, that’s the position that they need to strengthen.”

The ECHO says: Kramaric does have previous experience in the Premier League, having joined Leicester City in January 2015. He made two appearances in the 2015/16 title-winning campaign but while he showed some promise, he struggled to adapt to English football and went on loan to Hoffenheim in January 2016 and has been there ever since.

He has thrived in Germany, scoring 132 times in 284 appearances for the club. Now a 32-year-old, it is still to be seen if that experience would make a difference if he was to return to the Premier League, making a move for the striker would therefore be a big risk, unless they can get him at a bargain price.

Slot’s transfer decision

There has been talk around the future of Liverpool centre-back Sepp van den Berg over the last few days with Slot set to make a decision over where his future lies.

The 22-year-old joined from Dutch side PEC Zwolle in the summer of 2019 for a fee of just £1.3 million. But he has spent the majority of his time at Anfield out on loan.

Spells at Preston North End, FC Schalke, and FSV Mainz have followed. It’s his latest loan deal with Mainz where he has caught the eye.

He will return to Liverpool this summer where he will look to impress Slot with his performances in training. But there remains an uncertainty over his future with the Reds valuing him at around £20 million.

The ECHO says: When a new manager comes in, there is always a new chance for players to impress and that could be the case with Van den Berg. Joel Matip’s departure at the end of his contract means that a new defender is probably needed this summer, but if he impresses in pre-season, then Liverpool may not have to turn to the transfer market.

On the other hand, if they can make £20 million on a player that cost just £1.3 million, then it’s a no-brainer for the club. If he is not going to get game time at Anfield this season then it may just be best to cash in.