Liverpool could still throw some curveballs between now and the end of the transfer window, with a wildcard Everton idea potentially laying some 2024 groundwork.
Liverpool has already sold its captain in this transfer window, and its only senior defensive midfielder is set to be next out of the door. If there’s one thing that has become clear, it’s that nothing can be ruled out this summer.
As such, even as certain aspects of the transfer plan for the remainder of the window begin to take shape for Liverpool, a few wildcard options certainly cannot be ruled out. Even Dominik Szoboszlai, who ticks many of the usual recruitment boxes, came somewhat out of left field — there is plenty of time for some more twists and turns before the deadline.
At this point, the only near-certainty is that Liverpool will recruit a new midfielder. One more was already tentatively on the agenda before both Jordan Henderson and Fabinho upped sticks, so it’s now glaringly apparent that someone else needs to be signed.
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The leading contender appears to be Roméo Lavia, with Liverpool holding multiple rounds of talks with Southampton and seemingly closing in on a deal (Daily Mail). The 19-year-old is himself something of a wildcard, given his young age and single season of Premier League experience, but he has become the expected option.
However, what if Liverpool doesn’t stop there in the midfield? If it would be a slight surprise to see the club cough up for Lavia, it would be even more of a shock to see a deal sanctioned anywhere near Crystal Palace’s asking price for Cheick Doucouré.
Valued at $90m (£70m/€82m) by the London club, again per the Mail, Doucouré appears to be prohibitively expensive. But Liverpool would bank almost half of that fee from the unexpected sale of Fabinho — so if FSG identifies him as the right option, perhaps the owners would be unusually willing to go big and complete the deal.
There is plenty in Doucouré’s favor. Much like Lavia, he only has a single season of Premier League experience, but Liverpool would somewhat mitigate the risk of those gambles by signing both players at once. Sharing the burden of Fabinho’s minutes, with Stefan Bajčetić in the mix too, this would be a strong set of options heading into the new campaign.
All three are excellent readers of the game, while Doucouré and Lavia in particular fall firmly into the Fabinho mold. Technically competent, they are nonetheless content to focus primarily on breaking up the play, snuffing out attacks and then keeping it simple in possession.
With Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister, Curtis Jones, Harvey Elliott and Thiago all very capable in the advanced number eight roles, and with Cody Gakpo also having successfully been trialed there, Liverpool could reasonably call it a day in midfield with the signings of Lavia and Doucouré. But there is still the need to address the defense.
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In all honesty, it would be no surprise to see Liverpool put off this piece of the rebuild until next summer, especially if it sanctions a big outlay on someone like Doucouré. But while that would be justifiable on paper, it would risk repeating the midfield scenario that played out last season.
If nothing else, Liverpool needs to bolster the squad options in the back line, even if that means finding a stop-gap until a big spend is sanctioned next summer. With Manchester City as yet unable to close a deal for Joško Gvardiol, a 2024 push for the Croatian would be highly tempting.
Regardless of the marquee name lined up, though, Liverpool must make preparations if it intends to wait another year. Essentially, Jürgen Klopp needs to repeat the Arthur plan, but this time it can be given a little more thought than a deadline day rush.
This could lead Liverpool in the truly wildcard direction of a free agent who has just departed Everton. Yerry Mina would certainly catch everyone by surprise, but there are worse ideas.
First and foremost, Mina would not require a transfer fee, with Everton having released the Colombian. He would also be immediately ready for Premier League action, something which would not be true of any compromise ‘project’ option with a high ceiling but a long way to go.
Then there’s his elite goal threat. Mina is a menace from set plays, a drum which Klopp has been banging in recent months, with the Colombian in the 99th percentile among center-backs in Europe’s top five leagues for both goals and expected goals per 90 minutes over the last year (FBref). In related news, he is aerially dominant, another key tick against Liverpool’s criteria.
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