On June 1, Liverpool will end the Jurgen Klopp era and move into the age of Arne Slot.
Feyrenoord boss Slot will waste little time before taking over at Anfield, with the Dutchman able to spend a full pre-season campaign figuring out how to use his squad. The Reds are likely to make some additions for their new boss, while there will also be some departures.
Joel Matip and Thiago Alcantara are both due to leave in the summer when their contracts expire, and there's likely to be interest in one or more of the senior stars with time left on their current deals. Slot, too, will surely have a sit down with Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes to talk through options for new recruits.
Part of the logic behind appointing Slot was a chance for some continuity when it comes to the formation - something which wasn't necessarily true of other contenders. He has favoured a back four in Rotterdam, and while his preferred 4-2-3-1 is a little different from Klopp's 4-3-3, it shouldn't be forgotten that Klopp did use the former to great effect at Borussia Dortmund.
Slot, 45, has a number of decisions to make in his first window. Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah are all about to enter the final year of their current deals, and it's a question of who stays and who goes.
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But how might Slot set up his Liverpool team when he starts life at Anfield? Here, Mirror Football has made an effort to gauge what his preferred XI might look like.
Goalkeeper and defence
While Alisson might not be completely indispensable given Caoimhin Kelleher's emergence, there's no immediate reason to think the Brazilian will be moving on this summer. That's despite growing concerns from rivals Manchester City that his international colleague Ederson might leave the Premier League.
How should Liverpool set up next season? Have your say in the comments section
Lutsharel Geertruida could follow Slot to Anfield (Getty Images)In front of the former Roma stopper, one of the Feyenoord players most strongly linked with a move to Anfield is Lutsharel Geertruida. If the skipper follows his boss to Merseyside, he would be an option all across the back-line, but has most frequently been used at right-back this season.
With Slot being a fan of full-backs getting forward, there's no reason to think Andy Robertson would lose his place. Joe Gomez impressed on the left during Klopp's set-up this season, but the overlapping option provided by the Scot could be the defining factor.
In the middle, much depends on whether Van Dijk stays. If he does, though, the partnership with new England call-up Jarell Quansah showed enough in the last 12 months that we can expect Slot to go down that avenue - especially with his record of improving young talents.
Midfield
Liverpool have a decision to make on Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool FC via Getty Images)While England international Alexander-Arnold looks capable of playing at full-back in a Feyenoord-like system, it's telling that he has been named as a midfielder in his country's pre-Euros squad. Klopp moved the 25-year-old forward in his final season - and towards the end of his penultimate one - and there could be a role for him in a double-pivot next term if Real Madrid don't translate whispers of interest into a concrete bid.
Alexis Mac Allister is another player linked with Madrid, though he's understood to be in no hurry to leave Anfield. He'd be another option in the double pivot, where there are a fair few options.
Atalanta's Teun Koopmeiners has been linked with a summer move (DeFodi Images via Getty Images)One additional option, however, could be Teun Koopmeiners. The Dutch international has been on the Reds' radar for some time now, and the hiring of a Dutch manager has hardly quietened links with the Atalanta star.
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The wealth of deeper-lying options could pave the way for one of Dominik Szoboszlai or Harvey Elliott to move into a number 10 role. With Champions League football back on the agenda for the club, though, more than one player ought to get an opportunity.
Attack
How Liverpool could line up under Arne SlotThe other big question concerns Salah. If a big bid from Saudi Arabia isn't forthcoming, he still looks like the man to start on the right - especially if a full pre-season can help him overcome the rustiness which showed at times after his most recent injury.
It's a similar story on the left, with Luis Diaz linked with Paris Saint-Germain. If the Colombian stays, though, he showed at the tail end of last season why he ought to be the man for that flank.
Diogo Jota suits the Reds' approach if he can stay fit, but that's a big if. That leaves the question of what to do with Darwin Nunez, especially if Barcelona find the funds to really test Liverpool's resolve, while the emergence of young talents in Klopp's last season mean Cody Gakpo isn't the only rotation option.
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