Liverpool legend Phil Thompson believes The Kop missed an opportunity by not re-signing former captain Jordan Henderson in the summer, according to The Mirror. Meanwhile, Liverpool Academy director Alex Inglethorpe has acknowledged that Jarell Quansah's impressive development since leaving the club has exceeded his expectations.

Slot made an impressive start as Liverpool manager and will face his toughest test this weekend. The Kop will host Manchester City on Sunday, with both teams unbeaten in the Premier League so far this season.

Currently, Manchester City leads the Premier League table, while Liverpool sits in sixth place. Slot's tenure has started well, but Liverpool's summer transfer window was somewhat disappointing, ending with only the surprise late signing of midfielder Bradley Barcola for £123 million.

The Spanish manager only signed two senior players in the summer and is now being criticized for missing out on a cost-effective deal. Meanwhile, a former Liverpool player has flourished since leaving, suggesting that a senior Kop official initially misjudged him.

Thompson: Liverpool should have re-signed Henderson

Liverpool's leadership was significantly impacted this summer by the departures of two key figures, Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson. Liverpool legend Phil Thompson believes former captain Jordan Henderson should have returned to the club to fill the void left by these influential players.

Henderson, 36, left Brentford before the new season began to join Chelsea. Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso brought in the English midfielder along with Danny Welbeck, hoping to add valuable experience to his young squad.

Thompson believes this gap in Liverpool's midfield was an opportunity Slot could have addressed through transfers but ultimately missed.

Thompson stated: "I wanted Robertson to stay for another 12 months, just to give Milos Kerkez more competition. But more importantly, it's about what Robertson does in the dressing room."

"Last summer, I would have brought Henderson back. You might ask, 'Jordan Henderson?' But look at how he's performing now. He's in the England squad, and Alonso had every reason to bring him to Chelsea. You know what I mean? It's about the values a football club treasures, and we've lost so many people with character and responsibility."

Quansah Proves Liverpool Officials Wrong

Last summer, Jarell Quansah left Liverpool to join Bayer Leverkusen for a transfer fee of £35 million. Since then, his career has continued to flourish. The 23-year-old defender has not only become a key player for the Bundesliga club but is also establishing himself as one of England manager Thomas Tuchel's most trusted players.

Quansah's exceptional progress in recent years has also exceeded the initial expectations of Liverpool Academy director Alex Inglethorpe. The 54-year-old academy head acknowledged in a BBC interview that he made mistakes in the past.

Inglethorpe said: "Quansah is a prime example. He was always highly rated and there was never any risk of him leaving, but he perhaps was never considered one of the top three in that group of players."

Inglethorpe also acknowledged that had Quansah remained at Liverpool and played a backup role under Arne Slot, he may not have achieved the progress he has today.

He added: "Nothing is certain. The academy's purpose is to help players reach their full potential. Sometimes, players need to leave the club to get opportunities. There are many examples of young players who have succeeded after leaving. I'm not sure they would have reached the same heights in their careers had they stayed at Liverpool."

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