Liverpool’s priority this summer has always been fixing the midfield. Jurgen Klopp has lost James Milner to Brighton & Hove Albion and Jordan Henderson is set to sign for Saudi Pro League side Al-Ettifaq to reunite with former team-mate Steven Gerrard.
Naby Keita has also departed with the Guinean international joining Werder Bremen, while Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain remains a free agent. There is also the likelihood that Fabinho moves on this summer, with the Brazilian linked with a move to Saudi Arabia in the form of Al-Ittihad.
Following the Reds’ quadruple-chasing campaign in 2021-22, fatigue seemed to creep into the legs of the midfield last term. Milner and Henderson were both in their 30s and Fabinho, despite being 29, no longer had the legs to play at his best on a weekly basis.
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The lack of youthful options at Klopp’s disposal was damaging. It really affected their start to the season but they did extremely well to recover to finish inside the top six. They have had to settle for Europa League football in the upcoming term but the club have already made progress in trying to reshape the midfield while bringing the average age down.
Alexis Mac Allister was the first one through the door from Brighton. The Argentine World Cup winner has long been courted by Liverpool and his exploits that made him a star at Brighton will be flaunted on the Anfield stage to add energy as much as quality to the middle of the park. The 24-year-old covers so much ground and has the perfect balance of defensive and offensive attributes that Klopp loves from his midfielders.
Klopp’s second midfield addition was Dominik Szoboszlai from RB Leipzig. The 22-year-old Hungarian international has been acquired to be the connecting dot between the midfield and attack but just like all the profiles Klopp looks to sign, he doesn’t shy away from getting involved defensively.
Both these players have the quality that Liverpool need to re-energise their midfield as well as being at youthful ages to ensure the club won’t need a rebuild like this again for a long time. This will bring structure and stability to the team and help the Reds get back into a position to push rivals Manchester City for the Premier League and other domestic titles.
Speaking of City, Liverpool are hoping that their next midfield recruit is one that was forged by the Premier League champions’ academy. Teenage star Romeo Lavia made an excellent first impression in the top flight last term for Southampton. It was the 19-year-old’s first season in senior football and while he was in a poor Saints side, he was a shining light in a miserable campaign. Liverpool have reportedly opened talks with Southampton for his services and the player is believed to have given the move the green light.
This would be another marquee signing for Klopp’s side. Not only would they be signing one of the most talented youngsters in England, they would be adding a player who has many years to grow and excel at the highest level. The Belgian would fit right in with the other young midfielders in the squad in Curtis Jones, Harvey Elliott and Stefan Bajtecic, who are all tipped for big futures in L4, and they could all feature more prominently in 2023-24.
Liverpool’s average age in midfield last season was 27.4. Should they add Lavia to their ranks and the likes of Henderson and Fabinho move on that will drop down to 22.4 - and it could be much lower if 32-year-old Spaniard Thiago Alcantara were to leave as well.
The fans can be pleased with how the recruitment team are addressing this matter and they can not only take comfort in the fact that their midfield will look completely different when the season begins in a few weeks, they will know that this group will be core members of the squad for many years to come at Anfield.
