Liverpool 2023/24 season preview: Key players, summer transfers, squad numbers & predictions

After a forgettable 2022/23 campaign, Liverpool have their sights set on re-establishing themselves as one of Europe's elite this season.

Defensive frailties plagued Jurgen Klopp's side last year and bled over into pre-season, with the Reds shipping an alarming 11 goals in just five games, but Liverpool's attack remained prolific and ultimately inspired them to fifth in the Premier League table.

After a mini rebuild this summer, the challenge for Liverpool is putting all the pieces together as quickly as possible to ensure they don't find themselves looking up at their rivals for the majority of the season once again.

Here's 90min's preview of Liverpool's 2023/24 season.

Liverpool's performance last five seasons

Season	Premier League	FA Cup	EFL Cup	Europe
2022/23	5th	R4	R4	Champions League R16
2021/22	2nd	Winners	Winners	Champions League final
2020/21	3rd	R4	R4	Champions League R16
2019/20	1st	R5	QF	Champions League R16
2018/19	2nd	R3	R3	Champions League winners

Summer transfers

Ins:

Dominik Szoboszlai (MF) - RB Leipzig - £60m
Alexis Mac Allister (MF) - Brighton - £35m

Outs:

Fabinho - Al Ittihad - £40m
Jordan Henderson - Al Ettifaq - £12m
Roberto Firmino - Al Ahli - free transfer
Naby Keita - Werder Bremen - free transfer
James Milner - Brighton - free transfer
Fabio Carvalho - RB Leipzig - loan
Sepp van den Berg - Mainz - loan
Calvin Ramsay - Preston - loan
Rhys Williams - Aberdeen - loan
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain - released

Squad numbers

*Numbers subject to change before end of transfer window

Number	Name
1	Alisson
2	Joe Gomez
4	Virgil van Dijk
5	Ibrahima Konate
6	Thiago
7	Luis Diaz
8	Dominik Szoboszlai
9	Darwin Nunez
10	Alexis Mac Allister
11	Mohamed Salah
13	Adrian
17	Curtis Jones
18	Cody Gakpo
19	Harvey Elliott
20	Diogo Jota
21	Kostas Tsimikas
26	Andy Robertson
32	Joel Matip
43	Stefan Bajcetic
47	Nat Phillips
62	Caoimhin Kelleher
66	Trent Alexander-Arnold

Key players

Salah is the star / James Gill - Danehouse/GettyImages

Star player

Mohamed Salah was on a tear in pre-season and appears to be approaching the new campaign with a renewed determination to address last year's nightmare.

The Egyptian winger is one of the best in his position in the world, capable of blitzing past any defender and scoring different types of goals to drag Liverpool to victory even when the Reds are not at their best.

The Golden Boot, as always, remains a plausible target for Salah.

One to watch

Mac Allister joined from Brighton / James Gill - Danehouse/GettyImages

Alexis Mac Allister should be in the conversation for the best signing of the season if all goes to plan.

At an initial £35m, Liverpool landed themselves an absolute bargain in the form of the World Cup winner, who is elite in a number of different midfield positions and is the sort of talent needed during this rebuild.

Now strutting his stuff on a bigger stage, Mac Allister will expect to take his game to a new level this season.

2023/24 kits

Home kit

It’s here… and it’s beautiful.

Introducing our new 2023/24 @nikefootball home kit, inspired by the classic strip of '73/74. 😍 pic.twitter.com/4L2EgobbAm
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) May 5, 2023

Away kit

Thoughts on our new away kit? 🤩 pic.twitter.com/evYAPoiFcQ
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) June 30, 2023

Third kit

Liverpool's third kit has not yet been released.

💜🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🇦🇷 𝐁𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆: New Pictures: Liverpool 23-24 Third Kit vs Argentina 2022 World Cup Away Kit: https://t.co/q0NXaYKF53
— Footy Headlines (@Footy_Headlines) July 5, 2023

Premier League prediction

Few teams can match Liverpool's attack - that's not up for debate - and Klopp's side will expect to score goals for fun once again. The problem is, however, keeping them out at the other end.

Liverpool have been far too easy to get through over the past 12 months and their problems appear to have worsened during the summer, with low-level Bundesliga sides enjoying their outings against Klopp's bunch of superstar names.

Heading into the season, Klopp admitted he did not even know his best formation, and that may well see them in a battle for the top four. Thankfully for the boss, his electric attack should just about push them over the line.