Liverpool wasted no time in completing their first transfer of the summer after signing Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton & Hove Albion.
The World Cup winner joined the Reds less than two weeks after their 2022/23 season finished, arriving for a fee believed to be in the region of £35m. The start of a long-awaited midfield revamp, Liverpool are still expected to sign at least one more midfielder this summer, if not two.
Jurgen Klopp would call upon the services of 11 different senior midfielders last season, with such a total rising to 15 if we wish to include Trent Alexander-Arnold, Cody Gakpo, Roberto Firmino, and youngster Bobby Clark. With the Reds’ engine-room still a major concern, having delayed their overhaul into this summer, it became clear that quantity does not always mean quality at Anfield.
Liverpool were always plotting multiple midfielder arrivals this summer, with their decision to step away from the race to sign Jude Bellingham in April partly because they realised they needed a number of new quality recruits rather than one marquee signing. With James Milner, Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, and Juventus loanee Arthur Melo now all former Reds, such a need for reinforcements still grew even greater despite the quartet being fringe players.
READ MORE: Ruud Gullit takes aim at Virgil van Dijk as Liverpool star on the end of scathing attack
READ MORE: Stunning new footage of Liverpool Anfield Road Stand ahead as next steps taken
Following Mac Allister’s signing, and with Fabio Carvalho expected to depart on loan, Klopp currently has seven senior midfielders he’ll be able to call upon this season. Tyler Morton will bolster the ranks further if he impresses in pre-season after returning from a season on loan at Blackburn Rovers, with Alexander-Arnold, Gakpo, and Clark still offering further reinforcements in the engine-room if required.
But Liverpool still plan to strengthen further, with Khephren Thuram, Manu Kone, Ryan Gravenberch, Gabri Veiga, and Romeo Lavia just some of the names on their transfer shortlist. With Mac Allister just entering his peak years, and set to complement the slowly ageing legs of Jordan Henderson, Thiago Alcantara, and Fabinho, this next younger profile of signing will join Curtis Jones, Harvey Elliott, and Stefan Bajcetic in having one eye on the side’s future while still being immediately able to make an impact on the first team.
Whether Klopp persists with an inverted full-back system with a box midfield this season or reverts to a more traditional 4-3-3 formation, the Reds will want a variety of midfield options boasting contrasting credentials to cover them in both set-ups.
That is partly what made Mac Allister such an attractive signing, with the high-energy midfielder comfortable as a number six, number eight, and number 10, and suited to playing at either the top or bottom of the midfield box as a result.
If you were to predict Liverpool’s starting midfield for the opening day of the season away against Chelsea now, you’d expect to see the World Cup winner handed an immediate full debut. Alongside him, without the knowledge of the Reds’ next signings, Fabinho is in line to retain his place, with Henderson, Thiago, and Jones vying for that final berth.
But once the rest of Klopp’s new arrivals get their feet under the table, the Liverpool midfield’s strength-in-depth, all being well, will be stronger than ever. So with one all-rounder already through the door, what roles would the five reported midfielders on the Reds’ shortlist be able to fill?
Khephren Thuram
A betting man would probably opt for Thuram as Liverpool’s most likely summer signing if we go off gut feelings, though, as is the case with all of the reported quintet, no official bid has yet been made as things stand.
The oldest of the quintet, the 22-year-old, who is the son of World Cup winner Lilian Thuram, is already a full France international after making his senior international debut in March. Yet despite his relatively tender years, he started 43 of his 48 appearances for OGC Nice to showcase both his importance and durability.
The Ligue 1 side alternated between a number of formations last season, lining up with both a midfield trio or a double defensive pivot at times. As a result, Thuram’s game-time was split between playing as a number six and a number eight, though he would also make two appearances on the left-wing despite being right-footed.
He would predominantly play as a number eight when the French outfit opted for a midfield three, dropping into a deeper role when they selected a double pivot. As a result, he would be suited to both of Klopp’s go-to systems in either the advanced or more withdrawn roles.
Standing at 6ft 4, Thuram is also the tallest of the quintet and a threat in both boxes at set-pieces as a result - a trait Klopp values in his midfielders. A powerful midfielder, the 22-year-old thrives when carrying the ball forward and beating men.
While he scored just twice last season, and has eight goals for Nice in total over the past four seasons, he did register eight assists in 2022/23. He would also pick up six yellow cards in all competitions
Perhaps fitting the profile of a trademark hard-working Klopp midfielder at Liverpool’s pomp, were the Reds to sign Thuram, you’d expect him to be utilised mainly as a number eight. However, like Gini Wijnaldum before him, he could also be trusted to fulfil that deeper role, while his outings on the left suggest he could be called upon on either side of the midfield.
Considering Liverpool’s midfield lacked energy and power last season, Thuram certainly ticks both boxes. Under contract until 2025, recent reports suggest he would cost at least £34m.
Manu Kone
Unlike Thuram, Kone is more naturally defensive with the majority of his career to date spent in a deeper double-pivot midfield. He would line up in such a position alongside his fellow France Under-21s international as they showcased their contrasting styles and attributes for their European Championships opener against Italy.
Just a few months younger than his compatriot, the 22-year-old made 31 appearances in all competitions last season with all of them coming from the start. However, picking up 12 yellow cards, one of the four Bundesliga matches he missed was through suspension - the third time he has had to sit out a game in such circumstances over the past two seasons for Borussia Monchengladbach.
He still thrives at winning possession back, despite those yellow cards. So, if signed, he would be more of an alternative to Fabinho as a number six rather than fielded further forward as a number eight.
He is also strong when carrying the ball forward, passing it around, and beating men when dribbling, if such a tweak is something Klopp wished to consider. However, registering one goal and one assist last season, it reiterates how he isn’t notoriously an offensive player.
Lacking experience in a midfield three, he would arguably be better suited to Liverpool’s 3-2-2-3 system. It is worth noting that Fabinho wasn’t accustomed to being a lone holding midfielder prior to his own move to Anfield either.
Standing at 6ft 1, the right-footed Kone is under contract until 2025 and is starting to attract interest from other clubs as well as the Reds. If Liverpool want a direct alternative to Fabinho at number six, Kone is well-suited and would offer something different if brought in alongside Mac Allister and one other.
However, with Bajcetic already touted as the Brazilian’s long-term replacement, Klopp might instead favour a more all-round option.
Ryan Gravenberch
The 2022/23 season was not a success for Gravenberch, despite helping Bayern Munich win the Bundesliga title. Signed for an initial £16m from Ajax last summer, he would start just six of his 33 appearances in all competitions for the Bavarians, and failed to register any goals or assists from 30 games in the German top-flight and Champions League.
Unhappy with his situation, the Netherlands international has spoken publicly a number of times about his future recently. If he doesn’t play more next season, he wishes to move on, with Liverpool reportedly holding talks with his agent at the start of the year, and his family in April.
However, Bayern are believed to be reluctant to let the midfielder depart, ensuring his future remains uncertain. Reds interest is long-standing regardless, with the 21-year-old on Liverpool’s shortlist last year prior to moving to Germany, and having been sporadically linked with a switch to Anfield ever since impressing against Klopp’s side in the Champions League in 2020.
Standing at 6ft 3, he would be well-suited for Liverpool. At Ajax, he predominantly played in a midfield three and would be fielded in any of the three positions at times. Yet at Bayern, his six starts came either in a deeper double-pivot or as a number 10.
As a result, he would be comfortable in either Reds formation, in both advanced and defensive roles. On paper, he is an all-rounder like Mac Allister, but a more physical one. Predominantly a number eight who is particularly strong passing the ball around and dribbling, he is another who fits Klopp’s favoured model and could be perceived as a ‘Wijnaldum replacement’.
Still only 21, the Netherlands international boasts the most experience from the reported quintet and is the only one to have featured regularly in the Champions League.
Making 89 appearances during his final two seasons in Amsterdam, he returned eight goals and 12 assists. Starting all 14 Champions League games, three of the six Eredivisie outings he missed were because of Coronavirus, as he started 83 games to demonstrate his durability and help explain his frustrations last season.
Compared to Paul Pogba and Frank Rijkaard but one former Ajax youth coach, Sky Sports previously reported that Bayern would want to recoup the £20m fee - including add-ons - they agreed for him, as well as a small profit with a £25m fee touted as a result if they did reluctantly sell. Under contract until 2027, Gravenberch's future will rest on if the Bavarians are happy to part ways after just one season.
Gabri Veiga
Scoring an eye-catching 11 goals for a struggling Celta Vigo side last season, Veiga is different to the other reported names in terms of being a more offensively-gifted player.
The 21-year-old had made 16 appearances for the Celta first team prior to last year, before bursting onto the scene with 39 outings in all competitions. Starting 28 of his 36 La Liga appearances last year, as he was fully promoted to the first team in January, he was their second-leading goalscorer, scoring just one less than club legend and Liverpool flop Iago Aspas.
Meanwhile, only Bayern Munich's Jamal Musiala scored more than Veiga for midfielders aged 20 or under across Europe's top five leagues, and his total of 29 shots on target was the most from midfield in La Liga.
Also registering four assists, the highlight of the young Spaniard’s campaign saw him score a match-winning brace against champions Barcelona on the final day of the season. While Celta would finish the season in 13th place, they were just three points clear of the relegation places with Veiga’s impact unquestionable.
While Celta would finish the season in a 4-3-3 formation, with Veiga operating as a number eight, for the majority of the campaign he found himself in a central-midfield pairing after cementing his starting place. Prior to that, he was utilised playing off the striker.
Strong in the final third, be it forging shooting opportunities or threading through-balls, the 21-year-old, who is 6ft tall, is admittedly rather raw and lacks the experience of some of Liverpool’s other shortlisted players. He would miss two games through red and yellow card suspensions last year to demonstrate that lack of maturity.
Yet his direct play, having shown himself as a player who can thrive playing box-to-box with a defensive midfielder alongside or behind him, would see him well suited to an advanced position in the Reds’ box midfield, or as a number eight in their traditional 4-3-3.
Although offering a goalscoring threat from midfield, it would still be a bid adjustment for Veiga should he switch to the Premier League. Under contract until 2026 but reportedly boasting a £35m release clause in his contract, a change of agent in April does suggest a big summer move is coming.
Offering something different to Liverpool’s current options, a transfer would be easy to negotiate as a result of that release clause. But whether the Reds choose to exercise it remains to be seen. If Klopp moves for Veiga this summer, a more conservative midfielder would also be needed to compliment him with the Spanaird very much one for the future.
Romeo Lavia
Having made two domestic cup appearances for Man City in 2021/22, Lavia joined Southampton last summer in a £14m deal. Pep Guardiola’s side do possess a £40m buyback option for the Belgium international, who is under contract until 2027, but it only becomes active in 2024. As a result, the relegated Saints could look to cash in an attempt for more now.
Still only 19 and standing at 5ft 11, Lavia is the youngest and shortest player on the list. But he is also the only one with Premier League experience, and impressed enough last season despite suffering relegation - and gifting a goal to Diogo Jota on the last day of the campaign.
A holding midfielder through and through, the Belgian predominantly playing in a defensive double pivot, and would very much be an alternative to Fabinho if signed. While good on the ball, he likes to stick a tackle in and thrives at intercepting to win possession back.
Boasting great pace, he is also well suited to a high-pressing game which Klopp favours. But coming hand-in-hand with his defensive style, he was booked nine times last season.
Making 34 appearances in all competitions, registering a goal and an assist, 29 of his appearances came from the start despite his tender years. He would miss eight matches with a hamstring injury though, with it important to note just how young he still is.
And while he had been selected for this summer’s Under-21s European Championships, he ultimately withdrew from the squad because of injury.
Although boasting Premier League experience, and capable of obtaining homegrown status, you’d imagine Southampton’s relegation has contributed to Lavia being looked at, with the Belgian still likely to cost more than a Mac Allister.
If Liverpool want a defensive midfielder, he ticks boxes. Yet he doesn't quite the fit same profile of the other mentioned would-be targets, with his name perhaps not at the very top of the Reds’ transfer shortlist as a result.
