Arne Slot outlines the three things every new Liverpool transfer must have to secure deal

Arne Slot has revealed the three crucial qualities he seeks in a player.

The Liverpool manager looks on course to be heading into the summer transfer window as manager of the Premier League champions if his squad maintains their form for the remaining 11 matches, with Newcastle up next at Anfield on Wednesday night.

However, the Dutchman will only consider players who can elevate the Reds even further.

Known for his pursuit of perfection, Slot's ideal characteristics for new signings – ball control, speed, and excellent decision making – reflect his meticulous approach and high standards. "It's all about quality of course," the former Feyenoord boss told Sky Sports.

"But what I think is very important for a player is that he can change direction. Fast, work-rate, and then ability, but yeah, if you don't have quality on the ball then you can forget playing here at Liverpool.

"But there are also players on the ball [with ability] but if you can't turn quickly or change direction and you're not able to run a lot, then it's going to be really hard to play in the modern game at this level. In the past, players who didn't run that much were maybe the best players in the world, the pace of the game was totally different.

"But especially in the Premier League you have to be fast, quick, turn fast, work very hard, run a lot and be able to go fast from A to B. And decision making, do you understand when to make each decision? So these three elements are key."

Slot's first season at Anfield has been nothing short of remarkable, with Liverpool leading the Premier League by 11 points ahead of Arsenal in second place. The Reds have secured a spot in the Carabao Cup final against Newcastle come March, topped the revamped Champions League group stage, and they are set to clash with French titans Paris Saint-Germain in the last 16 next month.

Their dominant campaign has perhaps been epitomised by Mohamed Salah's dazzling performances, as the Egyptian star seems on a solo crusade to bring the league title back to Merseyside. With an astonishing tally of 30 goals and 21 assists this year, Salah sets the standard for new recruits, according to Slot.

"If you want to play at this club, you need to be at his [Salah's] level otherwise you are probably almost useless to play at this club because we only need players that are at the top of their game because this is one of the best, or the best, club in the world to play for," the Liverpool manager recently said.

Liverpool only brought in two new faces ahead of the current season, snapping up squad player Federico Chiesa from Juventus and securing goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili from Valencia, with the latter set to join the squad come the summer.

When asked about potential summer signings to strengthen the starting XI, Slot confirmed that they are indeed on the lookout for fresh talent.

"It is clear that we've assessed the squad," he said (via the Liverpool Echo). "We've assessed what we think where we can improve, and that's where we try to go for in the summer."

Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.