Liverpool’s record transfer of Florian Wirtz a game-changer for rival clubs

Liverpool's record £116 million (about R2.8bn) Florian Wirtz transfer should be worrying to fans of rival clubs, not just because of the massive figure involved but the decisiveness with which they have moved in the transfer window.

The arrival of the German international midfielder from Bayer Leverkusen was preceded by the £29m (R704m) signing of his former Leverkusen teammate Jeremie Frimpong as a potential replacement for right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold. 

Bournemouth's attacking left-back Milos Kerkez is also expected to arrive at Anfield shortly in a £40m deal. His pending arrival is likely to signal the end of an illustrious Reds career for Andy Robertson, with speculation rife of an Atletico Madrid move for the stalwart defender.

Rumours of another blockbuster move for Newcastle's lethal striker Alexander Isak are not going away either. He is seen as a potential replacement for flop Darwin Nunez, who is apparently the subject of interest from Napoli.

However, the Magpies are in a strong position after qualifying for the Uefa Champions League, and would demand an eye-watering sum for their prized possession. But the champions seem far from done with their transfer business. The coming exit of defender Jarell Quansah has seen them linked with England and Crystal Palace centre-back Marc Guehi. Should they land the defensive lynchpin, it would be the icing on the cake, even without any further striker additions. 

While Liverpool are clearly enjoying the fruits of a title-winning campaign, with Wirtz insisting that they were his only choice, they are also profiting from a clear vision for the club.

This contrasts sharply with some of their rivals who will be gunning for their crown next season. Arsenal, for example, have been linked with a striker to fill an obvious void at the club for some time, yet they seem no closer to landing one despite persistent rumours. Benjamin Sesko and Viktor Gyokeres are some of the high-profile names most often mentioned.

If there any concerns about the price tags scaring them off, remember that this is the same Arsenal team that spent over £100m on Declan Rice.

The imminent arrival of another defensive midfielder, Martin Zubimendi, also calls into question their decision-making. There is still plenty time in the transfer window to rectify their troubles in front of goal, but Mikel Arteta's obsession with signing defensive midfielders borders on the bizarre.

Former big spenders Manchester City may be keeping some their powder dry while they concentrate on the Fifa Club World Cup.

Tijjani Reijnders built up a solid reputation at AC Milan, while Ryan Ait Nori did the same at Wolves before joining Pep Guardiola's team alongside Rayan Cherki of Lyon. Yet they are hardly names that will have rival fans trembling.

City they seem to have lost the pulling power of the past few seasons. They were also said to be keen on Wirtz, one of the most exciting attacking talents in Europe right now, until he made his intentions clear.

Chelsea's new arrivals include Ipswich striker Liam Delap and Palmeiras winger Estevao Willian. Yet, Blues fans may be hoping that this signals a move away from the shotgun approach of previous transfer windows to a more focused one if they are to challenge for the title.  

Koppites, meanwhile, will be salivating at the prospect of seeing the first true Arne Slot team running out at Anfield when the new season kicks off in August.

Having seen what he did with a team that he inherited from Jurgen Klopp, and a few minor tweaks, it is scary to think what the Dutchman could do with the team that is fast taking shape.

It would be hard to look beyond the Reds for back-to-back titles should all the pieces of the puzzle fall into place. That would be the case even if the transfer window were to shut tomorrow. This is a measure of the task those hoping to overhaul Liverpool face, and the impressive work already done by the champions.