It was just over a month ago that Liverpool’s new sporting director Richard Hughes advised fans to expect a ‘crescendo‘ in the transfer market in August.
The volume hasn’t been turned up to the max just yet, with the Reds still to make a summer signing, although David Ornstein sent supporters into a frenzy on social media after reporting that the club are ‘moving ahead’ with the pursuit of an unnamed defensive midfielder from outside the Premier League.
In a piece for The Guardian on Tuesday night, Andy Hunter indicated that there won’t be a late flurry of activity in terms of incomings at Anfield this month, due to an internal belief that the current squad requires just the odd cosmetic top-up.
He wrote: “Liverpool never anticipated a busy summer, at least in terms of incomings, for several reasons. Aside from a defensive midfielder, there is a belief that there are no glaring holes to fill in a team that remain in the early stages of development and capable of improving on the club’s third-place finish last season.”
It’s fair to say that Liverpool’s situation in the transfer market this summer is rather different to last year, when an entire new midfield needed to be assembled (and ultimately was). This time around, it’s more about one or two enhancements to what is, by and large, a well-balanced squad.
It’s now become evident that the number 6 position is Hughes’ priority at the moment, with Wataru Endo struggling in pre-season and unlikely to have the legs to start consistently for a full campaign, and Stefan Bajcetic full of promise but still inexperienced and only making his way back from a long-term injury absence.
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While the likes of Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister have been entrusted to play a deeper role, it appears that Arne Slot wants to bring in a true destroyer in the Fabinho mould, someone who specialises in breaking up the play and providing the platform from which the rest of the midfield can weave their magic.
That part of the squad is understandably the main focus in the transfer window, although many Liverpool fans would probably like to see a left/central defender and a right winger also added before the end of August, with possible concerns over depth in those positions.
Now that our new head coach has had a month to work with (most of) his players, he’ll have a better understanding of what he feels is required in the market before the deadline in 23 days’ time. In stark contrast to last year, it appears to be a case of evolution rather than revolution this summer.
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