James Pearce has noted that Liverpool’s chances of landing an ‘elite holding midfielder’ will be dependent on ‘availability and affordability’.
The Merseyside-based journalist had been responding to a fan question on the club’s summer transfer plans.
Arne Slot’s outfit currently have Stefan Bajcetic and Wataru Endo as available options who fit most neatly in the mould of a holding six.
“It will come down to availability and affordability. The market for No.6s is probably the most over-inflated in football,” the reporter wrote for The Athletic.
“I’d love to see them sign an elite holding midfielder, because I’m not sure that just having Endo and young Stefan Bajcetic, who is gifted but playing catch-up after missing so much football due to an injury, gives you enough in that department.”
There likewise remains a question over the potential impact Trent Alexander-Arnold’s position for 2024/25 will have on the makeup of the midfield department.
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Liverpool can’t just rely on their current options
An option has to be available in the market. We completely understand that there’s no desire (as there shouldn’t be) to simply bring in a body to fill the position.
In fact, a simple starting position should be that any signing has to significantly improve on Wataru Endo.
That said, there’s no question we’ll be left in a difficult situation should our recruitment team fail to identify an appropriate solution to this conundrum.
The presence of the likes of Rodri and Declan Rice at Manchester City and Arsenal respectively proved the importance of having a world-class No.6 available. Something Liverpool haven’t been able to make the most of since Fabinho departed for Saudi Arabia in 2023.
It’s high time that we brought in such a footballer in order to better sustain a title challenge.