Arne Slot allowed himself a few bottles of beer to celebrate Laverpool last Sunday, which won the Premier League but had to control himself of an old-fashioned knees, because he had to be in top form on Monday morning.
The reason? It was his wife Mirjam's birthday. He could not be for that because he took her and the children, Joep and Isa, before lunch before they all went back to their house in Zwolle.
Slot JRs were back to school on Tuesday and, in many ways, the Liverpool manager was also at the company again. Officially it was a day off again, but he made a trip to Anfield to pick up his car with his right hand Hulshoff and took a picture of the '20' sign in the tunnel.
He was also on the phone. Talking with famous faces such as Jurgen Klopp and old friends back in the Netherlands – Slot is now one of the elite coaches in world football, but is a modest guy who never forgets his roots and replied to every congratulating message he received this week.
But apart from reading the beautiful texts, Slot was already planning how he made sure that this title is not only a one -off, but the springboard to create a dynasty at home and on the continent. This is what he and sports director Richard Hughes are planning.
The first thing you have to say is that life is not worth living if you do not celebrate the highlights – so lock and co are rich in the concept that enjoying this trophy triumph is more important than stepping on the phone on potential transfer goals.
But this is in itself seen as a draw for new signing sessions. Winning the Premier League and all parties are seen as a reason why Liverpool is an attractive club. Come and play for us and you can be part of this year next year.
Slot said on Friday how this title gives him 'the why' to sell to both current and potential new players, and says: 'It helps to attract new players like those we want, we are not the only club who think they are good. This helps them to see that the way we do things here is special. '
At the last count, Liverpool is connected to more than 30 players for this summer through reports at home and on the continent. They have a reasonable budget this summer, but it is certainly not that big!
However, Mail Sport understands that at least one attacker and a new left side are the priorities. Apart from that, they can focus on a central defender and immediately back as Trent Alexander-Arnold joins Real Madrid as expected.
Liverpool never settles and always wants to improve, which has been a theme for decades. In a column on these pages earlier this season, Graeme Souness remembered: 'Nothing has changed in Liverpool.
'When I returned there as a manager, I had a conversation with Tom Saunders, who had been the right hand for Bob Paisley, Joe Fagan and Kenny Dalglish.
“Tom gave a story that Bob would regularly say:” I am not happy with him, then … I think we can do better in that position than … I think he is getting rid of … “And these were comments about a team that won a competition title or European Cup every year.
“So they were never completely happy with the group they had and that was a large part of Liverpool's success in recent decades.”
The Reds have already started the follow -up planning for Alisson, for example, despite the fact that the Brazilian has a clause in his deal that can activate a contract extension until 2027. Georgia No. 1 Giorgi Mhaldashvili, 24, will sign from Valencia for £ 25 million £ 4 million this summer.
Left back is a different position they want to actively upgrade, with 31-year-old Andy Robertson taking on the last year of his deal. Milos Kerkez van Bournemouth is tried, but would have a substantial fee of £ 45 million, while Jorrel Hato of Ajax was also discussed.
The Cherries have two other players important for Liverpool in defender Dean Huijsen, who has a release clause of £ 50 million, and Antoine Semenyo. Huijsen will continue with Chelsea this summer also sharp and Reds defender Ibrahima Konate will also be out of the contract next year.
The reconnaissance department of the Reds searching the market wide and sides with observers present in RB Leipzig on Saturday – Xavi Simons and Benjamin Sesko can recently be on the agenda – plus it is clear that they have viewed players on Real Betis and River Plate in Argentina in Argentina.
An attacker is firmly on the agenda with Darwin Nunez who will probably leave this summer. Luis Diaz also maneuvers a new deal, so with him and others Liverpool has to find a balance between a ceiling of their wage structure and also planning the future.
Hugo Ekitike van Eintracht Frankfurt has been viewed – he scored 22 goals and scored 10 assists this season and, like other goals, would not be cheap.
They have linked reports to everyone in recent weeks, such as Morgan Rogers, Joao Pedro and Liam Delap, but they are – like many names that puff the rumor mill – at the shortlist at this stage.
But in the summer one point must be reminded: Liverpool Transfer Guru Hughes is a smooth operator who earns mass credit in addition to Slot for the first year of the new regime in Anfield.
He inherited a situation with his best three players from the contract and has two of them extensive Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk-Eong, the long-term Saga in both cases.
What is even more important than that was the fact that he chose Slot if his No. 1 candidate and supervised the flexible process when replacing Jurgen Klopp.
Each talked about a 'transfer war box' is somewhat too much toe, but Liverpool has the money and they will spend it. Title no. 20 has been packed and they will celebrate that, but in the corridors of power on Anfield they are already planning to be a happy 21st next year.