With each passing match it becomes abundantly clear just how much Liverpool are in need of a midfield revamp.
While the emergence of Stefan Bajcetic might leave Jurgen Klopp with 11 senior midfielders to choose between, Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, James Milner, Juventus loanee Arthur Melo aren’t contracted to the Reds beyond the rest of the season. From the remaining seven, the Reds boast ageing stars on the decline and raw youngsters yet to be more than talented potential.
Lacking a midfielder at the peak of their powers, Liverpool are in transition as a result. Out of both domestic cups, on the verge of Champions League elimination at the round-of-16 stage and seventh in the Premier League with a nine-point deficit to make up, it has not been an easy ride.
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Thiago Alcantara is currently the only Reds midfielder unavailable to Klopp because of injury. Yet what Liverpool boast in quantity, they lack in quality. No matter what combination the German turns to, his side continue to struggle with the fact that the 18-year-old Bajcetic has played so much in his breakthrough year, even emerging as first-choice, only reiterating their woes elsewhere.
Having spent the past 12 months overhauling the Reds’ attack, revamping the midfield is next on the list for the summer. Jude Bellingham is their first-choice target, with it remaining to be seen if Liverpool can financially compete for the Borussia Dortmund man’s signature.
But even if they were to lure him to Anfield, his arrival can not come in isolation. It’s clear that the Reds will need more than just one new recruit in the engine-room.
With Mason Mount’s future at Chelsea uncertain ahead of his contract expiring in 2024, the England international has found himself increasingly linked with a move to Anfield. But he is not the only midfielder that Liverpool have reportedly set their sights on, with the Reds set to lock horns with one such speculated target on Wednesday night.
Matheus Nunes found himself linked with a move to Liverpool last summer, only for no such move to materialise as he ended up leaving Sporting Lisbon for Wolves in a £38m deal in August 2022. Yet that didn’t stop the Reds from again being credited with interest in the Portugal international back in January.
A number of reports would link Liverpool with a move for the 24-year-old, only to point out such a swoop could not take place until the summer with Nunes having already played for both Sporting and Wolves in 2022/23.
Yet to even face the Reds at the time of such reports, Kopites have kept a tentative eye on the midfielder ever since. And now he’s set for his fourth ‘audition’ in less than eight weeks against his potential would-be employers.
From the three outings so far, he came on for the final half-hour at Anfield as the two sides fought out a 2-2 draw in the FA Cup third round, with it the Portuguese was deemed offside when helping create Toti's disallowed winner. Meanwhile, he came on at half-time at Molineux as the West Midlands outfit lost the replay 1-0, before playing the full 90 minutes as they exerted some revenge with a 3-0 victory in the Premier League.
In truth, Nunes has yet to really set the world alight at Molineux, and did little in those aforementioned clashes to leave Kopites salivating at the prospect of him joining their club in the summer. Making 26 appearances for Wolves so far, 21 have come from the start yet he's only contributed one assist - hardly a record to feed social media compilations.
He has shown his versatility at least, playing as central midfielder, defensive midfielder, attacking midfielder, and even on the left for Wolves alone. Meanwhile, he has also demonstrated his durability despite adjusting to the Premier League, having only missed two games because of a shoulder injury.
However, despite the lack of goals and assists, his xG of 2.1 is still higher than any Liverpool midfielder, while Harvey Elliott is the only Reds midfielder who can better his xAG of 1.8. But, if Liverpool do move for Nunes, it won’t be for the eye-catching moments on the pitch. Rather, the attributes that often go unnoticed.
In the Premier League this season, only Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson, and Darwin Nunez can better his total of 42 progressive carries.
Only Trent Alexander-Arnold and Thiago boast more than his 17 tackles in the defensive third, and only the Spaniard and Fabinho are able to better his total of 13 tackles in the middle of the park.
His nine tackles in the offensive third also betters any Liverpool player, as does his overall successful number of tackles, having won 27 (out of 39), and his return of 26 fouls drawn.
Winning 98 defensive duels, Thiago is the only Reds midfielder to have won more, with the Spaniard and Fabinho again Klopp’s only engine-room operatives who can beat his total of 92 recoveries.
Meanwhile, none of the German’s midfield ranks can better his total of 21 successful 50/50s, with it again only Thiago who betters his total of 52 accurate long balls.
While Nunes might not be wowing when it comes to goals and assists, he is excelling when it comes to winning back possession and carrying the ball forward, with his returns superior to his Liverpool counterparts. Throw in his versatility in midfield, and there is more than one similarity to how Klopp utilised Gini Wijnaldum.
When it came to the Dutchman, the Reds only realised what they had once it was gone. Now, in the form of the Portuguese, could they belatedly be about to replace him with another overlooked ball-winner?
It remains to be seen if Liverpool will move for Nunes in the summer, but in the meantime he’ll continue to go about his business quietly and effectively with Wolves. And against a fragile Reds midfield on Wednesday night, he could highlight their weaknesses once more regardless, as he continues to go under the radar while demonstrating the exact attributes Klopp’s men are lacking.
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