To the surprise of many a Liverpool fan, no doubt, the Reds are set to veer rather starkly from what many presumed to be their intended trajectory this summer.
James Pearce of The Athletic reported on Monday morning that the Merseysiders will NOT be moving for a specialist No.6 in the current window, with a more multi-functional operator the preference as things currently stand.
“As things stand, Liverpool don’t intend to recruit another specialist No 6 this summer – another sign of how highly Klopp regards Endo. He’s been bought to start matches,” the journalist wrote. “With Stefan Bajcetic returning to the matchday squad on Saturday after five months out injured, the teenager is viewed as a suitable alternative in that role.”
On that basis, this could rule out a handful of options recently discussed in the rumour mill; the likes of Sofyan Amrabat, Cheick Doucoure, Joao Palhinha, to name a few, would appear to have been brushed off the table.
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Where does this leave us? Effectively, we’ve come almost full circle, with links to players like Manu Kone and Khephren Thuram sure to be reignited in light of their own positional versatility.
Given that much of the £110m kitty remains available for use too, there should hardly be any serious stumbling blocks when it comes to options that won’t attract as earth-shattering an asking price as Moises Caicedo.
We’d have preferred to see a specialist No.6 waltz in through the doors of the AXA training centre but another midfielder in that Jurgen Klopp can mould and a left-side centre-half would do us just fine, Reds.
#Ep85 of The Empire of the Kop Podcast: EOTK Insider with Jan Åge Fjørtoft on Wataru Endo🎙️
It’s going to be a long season if we don’t get a central defender before the transfer window shuts. More urgent than a midfielder.
Never going to compete unless 2 more midfielders and a centre half come in.
If they can do this they will go close if not won’t get top 4.
I’d prefer to see a right back and centre back coming in, rather than another midfielder. On top of the new boys we still have Thiago, Bacjetic, Elliot, Curtis Jones.
One can hardly beliebe that Enco is good enough. A lot of the defensive issues last year start from midfield, the age of Henderson and Milner, the subpar performance (compared with previous years) of Fabhinho, the failure of Klop after 3 years to convert Jones to a box to box midfielder. A player like Caicedo, Doucure, Amrabat or Anguissa could shield the defence, it is doubtful Endo will be able to. And even if he does it will be for 1 or 2 years at most. One can not believe that just Endo, McAlister, Subozlai, Jones, Alcantara, Eliot and Baisetits will provide enough energy in the midfield. Is the priority another central defender? There has not been much on this front and Pavar for example could provide a dual role as central and right back but there has been no approach. And of course the major issue with the club is scouting, one needs to find Caisedo before Brighton, Alfonso Davies before Bayern, Valverde before Real otherwise splash like other teams on high transfers and high salaries and liverpool can not compete on this.
I agree. If we bring a right-back that can start matches, TAA can surely become that missing element in our midfield.