In 2024, Arne Slot’s initial summer at Anfield saw Liverpool secure only Federico Chiesa, yet the Reds clinched the Premier League title the following season. This stands in stark contrast to the preceding summer, which witnessed an unprecedented £415 million outlay on six new players: Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, Milos Kerkez, Jeremie Frimpong, and Giovanni Leoni. Despite this massive investment, Liverpool concluded the season with 24 fewer points than the previous term, marking the most significant year-on-year decline for any team in the league. Remarkably, none of these expensive summer acquisitions featured in the starting XI for their final match against Brentford.
Slot anticipates a “minor transition,” rather than anything “drastic,” this summer. Following a turbulent season that only guaranteed Champions League qualification on the final day, BBC Sport has evaluated the performance of each summer signing.
**Alexander Isak – D**
Isak arrived with substantial expectations, having engineered a £125 million move from Newcastle United. However, the Swedish striker endured a challenging year, with a severe ankle injury sidelining him for three months and other minor issues impacting his availability. He scored just three goals in 14 league appearances for Liverpool, compared to 54 goals in 86 appearances for Newcastle, with six of those Liverpool games being substitute appearances. The adage “availability is the best ability” rings true, and Liverpool critically needs Isak to surpass the 1,033 minutes he managed in 2025-26, especially given Ekitike’s extended absence. When fit, Isak displayed flashes of brilliance – exemplified by his touch and finish against Crystal Palace. A key objective for Liverpool next season will be to improve how they integrate their central striker into the game, a role that was routinely ineffective in 2025-26 regardless of who played it.
**Florian Wirtz – B**
Wirtz occasionally demonstrated why Liverpool spent £116 million on him, but he fell short of the expected standard for a player considered one of the world’s elite talents. His productivity needs to improve, having managed only seven goals and eight assists, none of which came against a top-half team. Liverpool hopes that a season of adaptation to English football and improved physicality will enable the 23-year-old to deliver a consistent threat next season, much like Robert Pires did after a slow start at Arsenal. His stellar performance against a robust Sunderland side in challenging conditions in the north-east showcased his potential to enhance Liverpool’s attacking prowess. A challenge for Slot, assuming his continued tenure, will be determining Wirtz’s optimal position – whether on the left wing or as a number 10 – and configuring the team to maximize the creativity he frequently displayed at Bayer Leverkusen. This B grade could easily have been a C.
**Hugo Ekitike – A**
Ekitike made the most significant impact among the new signings until his season was abruptly cut short in April by a ruptured Achilles tendon. The French striker netted 17 goals and provided six assists following his £79 million transfer from Eintracht Frankfurt. The 23-year-old solidified his reputation as one of Europe’s most promising young forwards, though concerns will naturally arise regarding his recovery from such a serious injury. Ekitike proved himself a capable finisher and occasionally linked play effectively, but he was more of a ‘moments player’ than a consistently polished performer. Should he successfully rehabilitate and continue developing his game after a promising debut season, he appears destined to become a world-class striker.
**Milos Kerkez – B**
Kerkez encountered a tough start after his £40 million move from Bournemouth, initially sharing game time with the experienced Andy Robertson. However, the Hungarian left-back ultimately featured in 34 of the 38 league games, starting 27 of them, thereby establishing himself as the primary choice. Captain Virgil van Dijk noted in February that Kerkez was “making significant progress” and that an “improvement” was “pretty clear.” The 22-year-old, who is still younger than Robertson was upon his arrival from Hull City in 2017, honed his game, shedding some of his initial impetuousness to become consistently strong defensively. Kerkez’s next challenge is to infuse the attacking flair he showcased at Bournemouth into his Liverpool performances.
**Jeremie Frimpong – C**
Frimpong joined from Bayer Leverkusen for £29.5 million, anticipated to share the right-back role with Conor Bradley following Trent Alexander-Arnold’s departure. However, he failed to impress in this position, even when Bradley’s injury in January offered him an uncontested run. As a result, midfielders Curtis Jones and Dominik Szoboszlai were frequently deployed in the role, with the Dutch player’s struggles compounded by recurring injuries. While he possesses blistering pace and occasionally looked threatening when played further forward, he lacked a consistent end product and is unlikely to be seen as a successor to the departing Mohamed Salah. Frimpong primarily functioned as a wing-back at Leverkusen, a role better suited to his skillset. His position next season will be highly anticipated. This C grade could have been a D.
**Giovanni Leoni – N/A**
Giovanni Leoni, a £26 million signing from Parma last summer, arrived as one of Italy’s most promising young talents. The 19-year-old center-back impressed on his debut against Southampton in the Carabao Cup at Anfield in September, but an anterior cruciate ligament tear during that match regrettably ended his season. With only 81 minutes played, it feels unjust to grade the Italian’s season, although he demonstrated impressive composure in that brief time. Leoni is expected to join pre-season training, and Liverpool hopes he has retained his mobility after his lengthy absence. Liverpool believes that Leoni and January signing Jeremy Jacquet, another highly-rated and expensive teenage talent, have secured the club’s center-back future for the coming decade.
