Danny Murphy has delivered a stark verdict on Liverpool’s summer business — and it is as unflinching as it is forensic.
The former Reds midfielder has urged Arne Slot to move decisively for Newcastle’s Lewis Hall, describing the 21-year-old as one of the Magpies’ “shining lights” this season and a ready-made replacement for the departing Andy Robertson.
Hall joined Newcastle on loan from Chelsea in 2023 before completing a £28m permanent transfer a year later. His performances in the current campaign have not only impressed Eddie Howe but have also caught the eye of Manchester United’s director of football, Jason Wilcox, who is understood to be a “big admirer”. TEAMtalk can confirm United are considering a move for Hall in the 2026 summer window, while Arsenal and Liverpool have also shown interest, according to transfer insider Graeme Bailey.
Yet Newcastle’s position is crystal clear: Hall is not for sale. The club view the England international as central to their long-term project, he is tied to a contract until 2029, and the player himself is “completely happy” on Tyneside. Any approach this summer will be firmly rebuffed.
Murphy, however, believes Liverpool should still be alert to any potential shift in the Newcastle situation — particularly if the Magpies are forced to sell amid speculation surrounding Sandro Tonali and Anthony Gordon.
“To be honest, depending on what happens with the Newcastle situation, I’m a huge fan of Lewis Hall,” Murphy told Betarades. “I think he’s a wonderful player, a brilliant footballer, and when it comes to one-on-one defending, he’s very, very good.
“It’s probably unlikely you’re going to get him out… but if Newcastle do have to sell and you can pinch him, even if you have to pay a bit more for him, he’s still a young man, he’s got the Premier League experience, and I think he’s been one of Newcastle’s shining lights this season.”
The timing is significant. Robertson is expected to bring his glittering Anfield career to a close this summer, leaving a void at left-back that Murphy insists must be filled by a player of genuine first-team calibre.
That is where Murphy’s analysis turns brutally honest about Liverpool’s existing options.
He is far from convinced that £40m summer signing Milos Kerkez has what it takes to lead the line in Slot’s side.
“Kerkez is a trier and he’s improved,” Murphy acknowledged, “but is he at the level Liverpool need to win league titles and Champions League? My feeling is that he’s not. He’s probably an understudy; he’s probably a backup… he’s not better than Andy Robertson.”
The verdict is damning in its simplicity: the Kerkez signing “hasn’t really worked.” Slot, Murphy believes, now has the green light to go and find a proven, established left-back who can compete immediately — and likely overtake the Hungarian rather than play second fiddle.
Lower down the priority list but still on the radar is the right-back position. Murphy is not yet sold on Jeremie Frimpong, viewing him more as a wing-back or winger than a natural full-back.
“I think Liverpool need a really established quality right-back because Frimpong looks more like a wing-back or a winger to me,” he added. “He hasn’t really looked that comfortable playing at right-back.”
While Murphy is not disregarding Conor Bradley — “when he’s fit, he’s a super player” — the Northern Irishman’s recurring injury issues mean he cannot yet be relied upon as a consistent starter. The former midfielder expects Slot to give Frimpong another season to settle alongside Bradley, but insists the left side is the more urgent priority given Robertson’s impending exit.
Murphy’s message is clear and unsparing: Liverpool cannot afford to carry passengers if they are to challenge at the very highest level. The excuses have run out. The window is open. And the replacement — whether it is Lewis Hall or another top-class left-back — must be incoming.
Slot has been handed the analysis. The ball is now firmly in the Liverpool manager’s court.