James McConnell, the midfielder who arguably turned the tide in Liverpool's favour single-handedly during last season's League Cup final.
It's crucial to remember that the Reds were barely holding on in the waning moments of regular time at Wembley until McConnell entered the fray, seizing control of the game and playing a pivotal role in the lead-up to Virgil van Dijk's decisive goal.
Given such a performance, it's hardly surprising that the Newcastle-born player is drawing loan interest from clubs like Hull City, Blackburn Rovers, Derby County, Huddersfield Town, and Birmingham City.
However, in the wake of Klopp's departure, whether the club will deviate from its initial plan to loan out the young talent this season remains uncertain.
Without clear guidance from Slot or sporting director Richard Hughes on the issue, the only thing that's certain is that the pre-season will be critical not only for Clark and McConnell but also for Jayden Danns, Trey Nyoni, and Lewis Koumas.
The new manager's inclination to nurture talent, akin to his predecessor, bodes well for these players as they prepare to join Liverpool.
Yet, they also face the initial challenge of proving whether Slot's philosophy can endure the intense scrutiny that comes with managing one of the world's most prominent football clubs, where a single poor result can be seen as a catastrophic failure.
For the moment, the only thing we can be sure of is that disregarding the legacy Klopp has left, particularly the promise shown by this group of talented youngsters, would be Slot's first misstep.
