Liverpool entered the 2022/23 campaign on the backs of heartbreak as they lost out on both the Champions League and Premier League on the last day of each competition. Liverpool began the season with high expectations but nothing seemed to go as planned as the club flamed out of the Champions League in the round of 16 to Real Madrid and found themselves finishing fifth in the Premier League en route to missing out on the Champions League for the first time since the 2015-2016 season.
Klopp’s club entered the transfer window with a clear emphasis on bolstering their midfield, particularly considering the departures of James Milner, Fabio Carvalho, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and midfield stalwarts Jordan Henderson and Fabinho rapidly aging.
The club has been proactive in pursuing this objective, having already secured the signatures of two quality midfielders and surpassing the £100 million spending mark for the first time since 2018. Still, Liverpool may not be done yet, as they aim to potentially complete a midfield trio of signings, with the highly sought-after defensive midfielder Romeo Lavia being a potential addition.
Here are the latest news and transfer updates around Anfield:
Khephren Thuram
According to The Athletic’s recent report, Liverpool has lost interest in signing Nice midfielder Kphephren Thuram. Despite rumors suggesting that Liverpool is still in search of a third midfielder to complement their new signings, Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai, Thuram will not be that midfielder. Liverpool has decided to cease contact with the club over Thuram, indicating their intention to explore other options.
Thiago
Thiago has reportedly become a prime target of interest from Saudi Arabia, with the Spaniard already rejecting a lucrative offer from a team in the Saudi League, according to reports from The Athletic. The 32-year-old midfielder currently has one year left on his contract and intends to fulfill it at Anfield in the upcoming year. It is said that all negotiations with the Saudis have been conducted through Thiago’s representatives, with Liverpool having minimal involvement in the matter.
Romeo Lavia
Liverpool have entered the Romeo Lavia sweepstakes in a bid to bolster their already much-improved midfield. The Southampton player has attracted strong interest from London clubs Arsenal and Chelsea, but neither appear willing to secure the services of the 19-year-old. With Arsenal expected to shell out a nine-figure transfer fee for Englishman Declan Rice and Chelsea focusing on trying to sign Moises Caicedo, Liverpool appear to be the front-runner for Lavia’s services.
The Daily Mail reports that the Saints have placed a price tag of approximately £50 million on the Belgian, who would be the ideal addition to complete a trio of midfielders set to join Anfield. Klopp entered this transfer window with the intention of revamping an aging and struggling midfield, and he has achieved precisely that.
With the acquisitions of attack-minded midfielders Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton for £35 million and recently-signed Hungarian Dominik Szoboszli for £60 million from RB Leipzig, Lavia would provide Liverpool with a defensively-minded midfielder to finalize an extremely talented group.
Federico Valverde
Potentially the most exciting name on this list is Real Madrid’s Federico Valverde. The Daily Mail says the Reds reportedly had a £51m bid for the Uruguayan rejected earlier this month though a potential deal for the midfielder could suit Los Blancos who are aware of the massive sum spent to secure Jude Bellingham and may need more cash to move for PSG’s Kylian Mbappe. Liverpool are reportedly preparing to submit a new proposal of around £77m according to Catalan outlet El Nacional. At just 24-years-old Valverde would bring a wealth of winning experience having already won two LaLiga titles and a Champions League trophy. His versatility across midfield is an asset that will appeal to Jurgen Klopp and 12 goals from the middle of the pitch this season is a bonus attribute.
Federico Chiesa
Gazzetta dello Sport report that Liverpool are keen to sign Juventus and Italy attacker Federico Chiesa. The Italian media outlet says that Chiesa does not have the best relationship with Juve boss Max Allegri and struggles to fit into his 3-5-2 formation. The 25-year-old is currently stuck in contract renewal talks but it appears a transfer away from Turin could be a real possibilty especially if a big Premier League club comes knocking. Enter Liverpool who are interested in the winger. Juventus want €60m for Chiesa though he is valued him at €40m by the Reds who are unwilling to go over that. The departure of Roberto Firmino has left a vacancy in Liverpool’s forward line but with Darwin Nunez, Luis Diaz, Cody Gakpo and Diogo Jota available as back-up the Reds won’t be convinced to spend more than they want to for Chiesa.
