Slot: Liverpools changes this summer will not be as drastic as last year
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot insists his squad will undergo a little transition this summer but nothing as drastic as 12 months ago.
However, he denied more experienced players were needed to improve the mentality of the personnel at his disposal.
Last week Mohamed Salah, one of two confirmed senior departures alongside Andy Robertson, said the bond of the team is changing so I really hope the guys hold it together.
Slot argued the unity between the players was different to their character and mental strength.
Indeed it will be another little transition, probably not as drastic as it was last summer, but we have to change a bit of personnel because of the players who are leaving, said the Dutchman, who has had to integrate 450 million-worth of talent with a much younger age profile.
There is a difference between bonding and mentality.
When it comes to bonding, it makes complete sense that players who have played six, seven, eight, nine years together have more bonding than when there are a group of players that are new with each other.
When it comes to mentality, I think this team has shown many times this season that when we were in difficult circumstances even last week at [Manchester] United being 2-0 down at half-time.
Again they showed the mentality to come back into the game and when we were back in the game at 2-2 we probably deserved to get the third goal, which we didnt get, which has happened also many times this season.
Liverpools average age this season is 26, but that is set to fall. There are currently nine players over that age one is third-choice goalkeeper Freddie Woodman, Salah and Robertson are leaving and the futures of Alisson Becker, Federico Chiesa, Joe Gomez, Wataru Endo, Alexis Mac Allister are all up for debate.
Last summers signings were a conscious attempt to lower the age profile and, with owners Fenway Sports Group having a policy of generally trying to buy players before their peak years of 27 to 29 and not more established ones, the experience within the squad is set to diminish.
For me mentality has nothing to do with age and I think you know, because when Mo was 26 and these players were all in their prime they were able to win the Champions League, to win the Premier League, to pick up 99 points, so you dont have to be 32 to know what standards means, added Slot.
Recently we have quite a good example of players that are not that old, the ones of Paris St Germain who definitely have the standards, what it takes to win a game of football in terms of attacking with 11 and defending with 11.
For me mentality has absolutely nothing to do with age, but more with the character and personality of a player.
Of course you can inject this in the transfer market, but we also have a lot of players, maybe all of them, that have the right mentality to play for this club.
Jeglertz remains hopeful Shaw will sign new deal at Man City
Manchester City boss Andree Jeglertz says he is still hopeful that Bunny Shaw will sign a new contract despite heavy links to a departure.
Shaw is expected to leave the recently crowned Women's Super League champions City when her contract expires at the end of the season.
Your Site News reported this week that after months of cordial talks over a potential new contract, Shaw is understood to want to explore her other options.
There is believed to be interest in the striker from Chelsea among other clubs, including from the USA.
Asked about Shaw, who was also on course to win the Golden boot, Jeglertz said:
"I still hope she's signing a new contract for Manchester City, definitely.
"But that's more of a discussion for Therese and for people in the club you'd like to have that resolved as soon as possible.
I think we right now are the most thing we banish all is our player, and she is here to compete with us and do everything she can these weeks that we have left of the season and what happens after that is a discussion not for me to talk about. It's more for Therese and other people that is communicating with her and so on. So we'll see."
Pressed further about whether City can afford to lose a player of her calibre, Jeglertz added:
"It's not my place to comment that I think that my job is to work with the players I have.
"The first thing I said when I started in this club was that we have this quad. How do I optimise each player? How do we play do we get maximum out of Hasegawa, Viv Miedema, Shaw, or Lauren Hemp?
"And how do we play football so we get the best out of them, which we have done this year, getting the best out of a lot of players.
"Next year, it will look different. It might look different. Some players are coming in, some players are leaving.
"Then we have another squad, or we have the same squad when we start in July.
"But I don't know. I don't know how that looks when we're starting in July, but when we start there, no matter what, I will do everything I can to play a way where we get maximum out of the players, and I would like to have the best players in my squad, and we'll see where we are in July."
'There's a lot to change!' | Bothroyd questions what manager would join 'toxic' Chelsea
Villa trio to leave this summer
Aston Villa Women have confirmed Ebony Salmon, Gabi Nunes and Sabrina DAngelo will leave the club upon the expiration of their contracts in June.
Salmon graduated from the club's academy before leaving the club in 2018.
After a spell at Manchester United, Sheffield United and Bristol City before a move to the US, Samlon returned to the club in 2023.
Nunes leaves Villa following two years at the club, while goalkeeper D'Angelo joined the club in 2024.
Pep confirms Foden's new deal 'close'
Pep Guardiola has confirmed Phil Foden is close to agreeing a new contract with Manchester City.
It was widely reported this week that an agreement had been struck in principle between Foden and his boyhood club over a new four-year deal.
Foden's existing contract is set to expire in 2027, but his fresh terms will tie him to City until 2031 and include the option of a further year.
Asked for an update, Guardiola said: "I asked my sporting director. He said they are close and hopefully it is going to happen. It is not done [yet]."
Spurs Women director steps down
Tottenham Women have announced the departure of Managing Director Andy Rogers.
Rogers has been involved with the club for over 24 years but has been in post, leading the women's team since February 2023.
He has overseen the club as Spurs reached their first-ever Womens FA Cup final, and achieved a record WSL finish.
Tottenham Chief Executive, Vinai Venkatesham, said: Andy has made a significant contribution to the growth and development of our Womens team over the past three-and-a-half years.
His leadership, professionalism, and tireless commitment to the Club has helped shape strong foundations for our Womens players and staff, both on and off the pitch."
Howe not drawn on Gordon future but insists he is committed
Newcastle boss Eddie Howe refused to comment on reports that Bayern Munich had opened talks to sign Anthony Gordon this summer.
On Thursday, Your Site News reported had made contact for the winger and the club were open to offers as they expect Gordon to explore his options.
When asked about the situation, Howe said: "No, none. That is not something I'm involved in."
Previous quotes from Howe were then referenced in the press conference where he had stated that players who were not "100 per cent" committed to the club would not feature.
Newcastle face Nottingham Forest, live on Your Site, this Sunday and end the season with games against West Ham and Fulham.
On whether Gordon was committed and will feature, Howe added: "Yeah, he wouldn't be in the squad if that wasn't the case.
"I judge that on my relationship with the player and how I see them train.
"I will do what is right for the team and best for the football club.
"It is difficult for me to comment on individual players and timescales. It is an area that is not my forte.
"All I am looking to do is trying to finish this season with this squad in a strong way. There is no point looking too far into the future.
"The summer transfer window is difficult to predict on any elvel. We have three big games to play."
Brentford agree deal to sign Schuster
Latest from Your Site News' Lyall Thomas:
Brentford have agreed a deal with Red Bull Salzburg to sign defender Jannik Schuster.
The club-to-club agreement is for an initial 13m (15m).
The 19-year-old is set to sign for the west London club pending the outcome of a medical.
Brentford are acting quickly to bring in another exciting young prospect at the start of the market.
Breaking: Bayern open Newcastle talks for Gordon
Latest from Your Site News' Keith Downie:
Bayern Munich have opened talks with Newcastle over a potential summer move for Anthony Gordon.
Newcastle will listen to offers for the England winger this summer as they expect him to want to explore his options.
The German champions have been keeping an eye on the 25-year-old since the turn of the year.
Gordons agents have also been pictured in Barcelona in recent days, but theres been no direct contact with Newcastle and Barca as yet.
City in talks with Gvardiol over new contract
Latest from Your Site News' Lyall Thomas:
Manchester City are in talks with Josko Gvardiol about a new long-term contract - despite the defender still recovering from a fractured tibia.
After tying Phil Foden down to a new deal this week, City are hoping to do the same with the Croatia centre-back even though he has been sidelined since January and had surgery.
Gvardiol had been instrumental in City's team up until suffering that devastating injury against Chelsea, and such is his regard in the club they want to extend his deal beyond the current 2028 expiry and improve his salary.
Since joining from RB Leipzig in 2023, the 24-year-old has made 120 appearances in all competitions, scoring 13 goals and setting up 10 more, while showing the versatility to play at both centre-back and left-back; known for his marauding runs forward on the left.
