Next mega Liverpool transfer obvious as Jürgen Klopp was right about $249m duo
Next mega Liverpool transfer obvious as Jürgen Klopp was right about $249m duo
As has often been the case in recent years, Liverpool has clearly got its moves for Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai — remarkably, for a combined sum of just $121m (£95m/€111m) — absolutely right. The Argentine and the Hungarian are perfect matches for what Jürgen Klopp desperately needed in the center of the pitch.
In addition to Curtis Jones, Stefan Bajčetić, Harvey Elliott and perhaps Bobby Clark, Liverpool has a group of midfield players that can make a big impact across the course of the next few seasons. But there is one gaping hole that still needs filling.
Bajčetić can, of course, play as a holding midfielder, but he is not necessarily a destroyer at the base of the midfield, but more someone whose passing and elegance in possession are traits that stand out. Liverpool needs those qualities, but even after the surprise addition of Wataru Endo from Stuttgart, Klopp is lacking a truly elite defensive midfield option on the same level of Mac Allister and Szoboszlai.
It is not, though, for a lack of trying. Last summer, Liverpool correctly identified Aurélien Tchouaméni as a target, only for the Frenchman to prefer a $109m (£86m/€100m) move to Real Madrid. The Reds’ mistake was not realizing quite how severe the need for more midfield numbers was rather than not spotting the right player.
A year on, Jude Bellingham chose a $112m (£88m/€103m) move to the Spanish giants, for whom he has started in electrifying form, including scoring twice and assisting once against Almería yesterday, with Liverpool also recognizing a need to spend that money across multiple signings rather than just one.
After that, however, a $140m (£110m/€129m) offer for Moisés Caicedo was lodged, only for him to decide on a $146m (£115m/€134m) switch to Chelsea instead. The Ecuadorian would have been a transformational addition, but Liverpool missed out.