Liverpool holds transfer talks over three positions as Arne Slot awaits first signing

Liverpool has reportedly held transfer talks over three positions as Arne Slot weighs up his first signing as Reds manager.

The club has failed to bring in a single player at first-team level since the end of last season and panic is beginning to settle in among some sections of the Anfield faithful, especially seeing as replacements have not been found for defender Joel Matip and midfield Thiago Alcantara .

Slot has previously said that he is happy to work with the options at his disposal for now but there is a growing feeling that he is ready to add reinforcements to his side, with Liverpool intent on remaining in the hunt for another Premier League title this season.

READ MORE: Liverpool transfer news LIVE: Brais Mendez move, Wataru Endo replacement, Victor Osimhen chance

READ MORE: Liverpool transfer news amid Anthony Gordon latest as $27m bid submitted

And having fallen nine points short of success last season, that gap to Manchester City and Arsenal needs to be bridged if the Reds are to have any chance of getting their hands on the domestic title, while there are also ambitions of going far in the Champions League following their return to the competition.

But because the Reds do have plenty of youth and quality within the squad, this was never going to be a hectic summer, even if a new manager has come in and would be expected to stamp his authority on the state of play with a number of fresh signings.

Now, however, it appears as though Liverpool has considered additions in three positions as the summer transfer window enters its final month of opening. As well as a center-back, there have been discussions over a holding midfielder and an attacking wide player, according to The Athletic .

Despite already boasting Virgil van Dijk , Ibrahima Konate , Joe Gomez and last season's breakout star Jarell Quansah among its defensive ranks, Liverpool is adamant it wants to replace the recently departed Matip. While Konate, Gomez and Quansah are solid options at the back, the Reds want a long-term, left-sided center-half partner for club captain Van Dijk.

A holding midfielder is also high up on the priority list, despite last summer's midfield overhaul that saw Dominik Szoboszlai , Alexis Mac Allister , Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch arrive on Merseyside. The first two exceeded expectations during their debut seasons but are more attack-minded players.

Endo and Gravenberch, on the other hand, didn't quite reach the same standards and it's believed Slot wants a fresh no. 6. However, the club recently rejected an offer from Marseille for Endo because it believes there is a lack of suitable, affordable and available replacements in the market.

Finally, an attacking wide player is preferable, although not quite as much as the other two positions. Along with star player Mohamed Salah , Liverpool currently has Luis Diaz and Cody Gakpo as its wide options, with Diogo Jota can also fill in if need be.

But a fresh injection of talent could be the difference between Liverpool winning a major trophy and coming away with nothing this season, while a long-term replacement is also wanted for Salah, who is now 32-years-old and attracting interest from Saudi Arabia .