a blockbuster end to the transfer window awaits

Liverpool now have a chance to dominate - a blockbuster end to the transfer window awaits

In this week's Blood Red column, Paul Gorst looks at a major summer of change at Anfield and what might still await the champions as they begin the defence of their Premier League title tonight

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In an effort to stave off the difficult second album, Arne Slot and Richard Hughes have been granted the big-band budget at Liverpool this summer.

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Having signed just Federico Chiesa 12 months ago for a cut-price fee of £10m from Juventus, the Reds have been far more aggressive, proactive and front-footed this time around in effort to build on the success of the Premier League crown.

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The deal for Giovanni Leoni at an initial £26m from Parma takes the Reds summer spending spree - already at historic levels - to a figure way beyond the £300m mark, with the prospect of more additions before the transfer deadline on September 1.

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It's been quite the outlay on Merseyside and it's been a period that has kept those in the recruitment department knee deep in work all summer. One suspects the overtime sheets might have come at a considerable expense for the club from those working around the clock to ensure Slot's squad is suitably reupholstered in time for the big kick-off, at home to Bournemouth on Friday evening.

Jeremie Frimpong kicked things off in May when his £29m release clause was triggered before Florian Wirtz made Anfield history by becoming the most expensive player of all time at Anfield at £116m from Bayer Leverkusen. That is a mantle that the Germany international may even concede before the window closes. More on that shortly.

Armin Pecsi and Freddie Woodman have added depth to the goalkeeping department while Giorgi Mamardashvili's £29m move from Valencia, which was arranged last year, was made formal at the start of July. The Georgia international will provide some international-calibre competition for the vaunted Alisson Becker. Milos Kerkez, meanwhile, will see Liverpool have the sort of strength of depth most other teams could only dream of at left-back as the young Hungarian now jostles for position with the long-serving Andy Robertson.

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The £79m capture of Hugo Ekitike is arguably the most intriguing deal for the Reds thus far. The France Under-21 international has looked to be a potent mix of power and poise in his limited cameos so far and the nature of his well-taken strike in Sunday's Community Shield augurs well as a new-look forward line continues to take shape.

In 18-year-old Leoni, the Reds believe they have ended a three-summer search for the long-term successor to Virgil van Dijk in defence while interest remains in England international Marc Guehi, who could yet join for a relatively cut-price fee from Crystal Palace due to his contract situation at Selhurst Park.

It is the intrigue around the wantaway Alexander Isak that continues to fill column inches and internet space, however. The Newcastle United striker has made it abundantly clear he sees no future at St James' Park but it's now two weeks since the Reds saw a £110m bid flatly rejected up in the North East.

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Liverpool, for all the summer expenditure, still look light on attackers after allowing Darwin Nunez and Luis Diaz to leave for Al Hilal and Bayern Munich respectively and while Isak's situation shows no signs of a resolution either way at this stage, the lack of alternatives emerging on the rumour mill is perhaps indicative of a club who have firmly fixed their gaze on a British record deal for Isak.

The No.9 has made no bones about his desire to move on and while Newcastle are seemingly making little progress on the recruitment front of their own with regards to an adequate replacement, Liverpool's willingness to make Isak the most expensive player in British football history must surely bring those at St James' Park back to the negotiating table at some stage.

In the same way Liverpool used their £142m windfall for Philippe Coutinho from Barcelona in January 2018 to bring in Virgil van Dijk and then Alisson Becker, there is an argument that Newcastle may be able to improve their all-round squad with the fee that would take Isak to Anfield. That theory might be scoffed at in North East circles, but there is a precedent for reinvesting smartly.

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For all the bluster about the champions' transfer kitty, however, their ability to fetch top dollar for those leaving the club means their net spend this summer currently sits at around £130m, which, while not an insignificant sum, is more than manageable for the Premier League champions who are almost certain to post record-breaking revenues in next year's financial figures.

That, then, is why there should be plenty of excitement about a potential blockbuster end to the window as interest in Guehi and Isak goes on. But it is about more than just whetting the appetite during the months of player trading and Slot and Hughes have been given every possible advantage this summer to ensure they build a squad that will dominate.

It's now time for them to deliver just that. Anfield awaits, starting with Bournemouth this evening.

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