Big summer ahead for Liverpool as rivals respond – Steven Gerrard

Former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard believes the club have a big summer ahead of them to ensure they are ready for the renewed challenge which will come from their Premier League rivals.

The Reds’ current skipper Virgil van Dijk will lift the championship trophy after Sunday’s final match of the season at home to Crystal Palace.

But planning is already underway to bolster Arne Slot’s squad, with Bayer Leverkusen’s Jeremie Frimpong edging closer to becoming their first signing after his £30million release clause was triggered.

Liverpool also have a serious interest in Frimpong’s team-mate Florian Wirtz despite his reported £125m price tag.

“How are they going to make the squad capable of dominating? Because it’s not easy,” Gerrard told a special edition of The Reds Roundtable, posted on the club’s YouTube channel, in which he, Rafael Benitez and Sami Hyypia reminisced about the 20th anniversary of their 2005 Champions League victory.

“Everyone else is going to strengthen. Look at PSG (Paris St Germain), the level they have gone to so quickly.

“(It’s a) big summer to make sure we are ready to compete for everything again next year. That’s Liverpool Football Club, it’s all about what’s in the pipeline.”

Van Dijk will be presented with the Premier League trophy by Alan Hansen, Liverpool’s former eight-time title-winning captain, accompanied by Mark and Jo McVeigh from the Owen McVeigh Foundation, which works in the community to help create memorable experiences for families with children battling cancer.

Hundreds of thousands of fans are expected in the city to watch the team parade the trophy on Monday but the club have joined forces with Liverpool City Council, Merseyside Police and Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust to deter supporters from using pyrotechnics.

After last month’s match against Tottenham, when the title was clinched, there were almost 50 reports of burns from the celebrations outside Anfield with the youngest being a three-year-old child.

“We know that Monday will be a fantastic day for all Liverpool fans, but over the past few years we have seen several children and young people who have needed hospital treatment after using pyrotechnics or flares,” said Nathan Askew, chief nurse at Alder Hey.

“We would ask anyone attending to enjoy the day, but please do so safely.”