Liverpool FC's strategic absence from the FIFA Club World Cup sets the stage for Arne Slot's second season

As the footballing world currently watches the FIFA Club World Cup in the United States, Liverpool FC, one of Europe's most decorated clubs, finds its absence from this year's competition beneficial as they prepare for the upcoming 2025/2026 Premier League season.

Having clinched the Premier League title in April, Arne Slot's debut season, and with the lure of a new trophy in the cabinet, the club saw an increase in funding from the significant prize money that came with winning the Premier League, reportedly up to £181.5 million (around R2,784,000,000) according to Premier League representatives and NBC Sports. 

The primary reason for Liverpool's absence from the newly expanded 32-team Club World Cup, as reported by This Is Anfield, was FIFA's rule limiting participation to two clubs per country. While not by choice because of FIFA's qualification criteria for the Club World Cup, this period allows for a well-deserved break for the Premier League Champions before the 25/26 season begins.

Speaking to Sky Sports, former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp expressed his concerns about the Club World Cup being one of "the worst idea ever implemented in football" because of its increased strain on the players after their respective seasons. Already, players had mentioned how the temperature in the United States had taken a significant toll on their performance throughout the competition, with the intense heat and humidity proving a challenging factor. 

Although Klopp has left the club, his concerns about player welfare still resonated deeply within the sport, highlighting the current debate around the demanding schedule placed on elite football players.

Arne Slot himself, speaking earlier in June, highlighted the potential for burnout in having to compete for another month after the official league had concluded. Slot contests this as he doesn't think it is "healthy for players to have maybe only one week off," Goal.com reported.

Liverpool, with a well-deserved break, can now focus on having a more comprehensive pre-season, ensuring Slot's squad is physically and mentally refreshed for what promises to be another demanding campaign.

Instead of battling it out in the Club World Cup, Liverpool's pre-season schedule takes them to Asia with matches against AC Milan in Hong Kong and Yokohama F. Marinos in Japan, before returning to Anfield for a friendly game against Athletic City.

Slot's focus for Liverpool's pre-season is on refining the squad. With the summer transfer window very much underway, Slot's team has seen some significant ins and outs, signifying a clear strategic direction from the new management team, Liverpool FC representatives confirmed. 

Meanwhile, Manchester City's pre-season and round of 16 exit in the Club World Cup draws concerns for City's manager, Pep Guardiola. Guardiola's concerns express how the demanding schedule of the Club World Cup could "destroy" City's 2025-2026 campaign. 

According to Sky Sports and Goal.com, Guardiola and other top coaches emphasize the delicate balance clubs must maintain between competition, player well-being, and future season planning.

Slot's Vision: Shaping the Future

With the transfer window open, Liverpool has seen significant activity, marked by both high-profile departures and strategic new signings under Slot's vision. 

Florian Wirtz's signing represents a clear statement of intent, signalling the club's willingness to invest heavily in elite, game-changing talent. The £116 million deal (R2,772,903,440,00) for Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen makes him the most expensive midfield player in Premier League history, according to Sky Sports and Liverpool.com.

For Liverpool fans, Wirtz's arrival had already sparked enormous excitement, an excitement that dates back to 2007 when Liverpool signed Fernando Torres from Atlético Madrid.

As Slot recently stated in a club interview: "Florian is a player we've admired for a long time. His ability to unlock defences and dictate play is exceptional. He will bring an additional dimension to our attack, and we are incredibly excited to see him develop further here."

Last week, in a club statement released, Liverpool FC announced the signing of left-back Milos Kerkez from Bournemouth for £40 million, roughly around (R700,572,000,00).

For Slot's squad, Kerkez is a more dynamic and younger talent, with rumours of Andy Robertson expected to depart from the club this coming season, according to various transfer speculation.

The most impactful exit this season has been Trent Alexander-Arnold, who's moved to Real Madrid for £8 million (R192,202,720) as announced by Real Madrid club president Florentino Pérez. Jeremie Frimpong, also from Bayer Leverkusen, directly replaces Alexander-Arnold.

AP News reported that the talented right-back's transfer to Liverpool cost £30 million (R525,412,449).

In the goalkeeping department, Caoimhín Kelleher departed and joined Brentford for £18 million (around R430.7 million), as reported by Sky Sports. His replacement will be Giorgi Mamardashvili from Valencia for £29 million (approximately R693.9 million), Sky Sports confirmed.

Football pundit Chris Sutton commented on a recent broadcast that Liverpool's "work done in the transfer market has been exceptional." He continued to praise Slot's approach, stating, "To win the league in Slot's first year and then follow it up with such astute and ambitious signings, particularly Wirtz, shows Liverpool are not resting on their laurels. They’re building for sustained success," Sutton said on his recent broadcast.

Ultimately, by focusing on a thorough pre-season instead of playing in the FIFA Club World Cup, Liverpool is setting itself up for long-term success. This forward-thinking strategy, combined with a clear emphasis on player well-being, meant a new, exciting chapter awaited the mentality monsters.

The Premier League Champions were certainly not standing still.