Liverpool’s midfield rebuild all through the 2023/24 season leaves Arne Slot with a powerful record of choices of their prime or approaching it, however a key piece is lacking.
Jurgen Klopp had solely six constant midfield choices final season, with Thiago and Stefan Bajcetic‘s persistent harm woes preserving them out of the German’s attain.
The typical age of that contingent was 23.1 years, a marked discount from the common age of 27.2 years from the midfield that was turned to in 2022/23.
Thus, with Wataru Endo (31), Alexis Mac Allister (25), Dominik Szoboszlai (23), Curtis Jones (23), Ryan Gravenberch (22) and Harvey Elliott (21), Slot has a bunch of midfielders of their peak or approaching it.
Klopp had three midfielders within the prime age bracket between 22 and 28 heading into final season, Slot will inherit 4 – although you possibly can argue Elliott now deserves to make it 5.
Within the likes of Stefan Bajcetic (19), Bobby Clark (19) and even James McConnell (19) and Tyler Morton (21), there are additional youth choices who’ve expertise behind them.
The midfield was the clear focus final summer time and we noticed it remodel from a dysfunctional and ageing contingent to a dynamic and energetic one, which Slot will goal to construct on.
And that is the place the lacking piece comes into play, a participant who nearly bridges the hole between the eldest midfielder and the youngest of their prime (Endo to Gravenberch).
It’s not to say that any funding this summer time in a participant who’s nearer to Gravenberch than Endo in age can be a misstep, however there is a chance to accumulate an skilled participant of their prime.
The apparent place so as to add this profile is with one other defensive midfielder, one who will complement Liverpool’s No. 3 and guarantee Mac Allister stays as a No. 8.
That the membership have future prime-age midfielders in Clark and McConnell permits them to take this method within the data that they’ve a brand new era ready within the wings.
Atalanta’s Ederson has been speculated as a possible choice for the membership this summer time and he would match the invoice as he turns 25 in July and has over 200 video games to his identify.
It poses an attention-grabbing query to the membership’s new switch hierarchy, overseen by Richard Hughes and Michael Edwards as to how they proceed to evolve the midfield group.
An enormous step was taken final summer time, however they can not relaxation on their laurels, they need to as an alternative be proactive in guaranteeing there may be elevated competitors within the group and high quality too.
