Liverpool have already revealed secret weapon in £224m transfer and contract talks

Liverpool have already revealed secret weapon in £224m transfer and contract talks

If the primary reason for Liverpool celebrations in recent weeks has been to reward the players and staff for their hard work, there is also an underlying one, aimed at those on the outside

General view as the Liverpool team bus passes through fans in celebration during the trophy parade on May 26, 2025 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Nikki Dyer - LFC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images) (Image: Nikki Dyer - LFC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images )

If the primary reason for Liverpool celebrations in recent weeks has been to reward the players and staff for their hard work, there is also an underlying one, aimed at those watching from the outside.

After the Reds were crowned as Premier League champions by dismantling Tottenham 5-1 on April 27, the post-match images created were the sort that will live long in the memory.

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From there, the players were granted some time off to bask in the afterglow of their achievement. A trip to Dubai was arranged as a squad, while Arne Slot himself soaked up the atmosphere in Ibiza.

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Upon his return that week, Slot revealed the reason for granting the time off, saying: "Normally, especially in this league, but in general – even in Holland – the last game is really special.

"You should watch it. It's about the last game and normally in this league it's also about the last game. And if you want it done and you want to go after the season then wives, girlfriends, children are like: 'Yeah, come on, I haven't seen my dad for such a long time. Let's go on holiday now with the family.'

"Which I can completely agree [with]. So, we were having the great position that not only we won it earlier on already, but also we've played on Sunday and then the next game is on Monday."

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The Premier League trophy presentation, the celebrations that continued on the pitch long after the final whistle and subsequent city-wife trophy parade, attended by 1.5m people, that followed last Monday may have been important in winning the hearts and minds of those with uncertain futures within the squad, but they also served an external purpose too.

"Oooooo! la la la!" reflected Ibrahima Konate last week. "With fireworks and all of that, this thing was just wow! Amazing.

"I didn't realise, I only realised when I had an interview with a French channel and they were maybe one metre away from me and I could not hear what they were saying. It was just like wow, it was amazing."

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For someone who is inside the final year of his Anfield contract, the scenes across Sunday and Monday, and the last few weeks more generally, have given him an unmistakable flavour for what it means to be a success at Liverpool. It can't have failed to have left an impression, particularly given it did just that with players from other clubs.

"Of course I saw that [parade]," new signing Jeremie Frimpong revealed after being confirmed as a Liverpool player on Friday. "When that was happening I was on holiday, so obviously I saw it on social media. Amazing! I want to be part of that, 100%.

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"This is winners, this is why we play football – to make the fans happy. When you win, you celebrate with them. This is what the sport is about. I live for these moments. It’s the best feeling ever as a football player."

It's why there is no substitute for success and the fallout from the achievements themselves when it comes to seducing players to the club.

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