Arne Slot has been searching for the right balance in the Liverpool midfield since adding Florian Wirtz to his squad this summer.
Slot’s starting three of Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai has been interrupted, and the Reds have not looked quite the same ever since.
As a result, the Liverpool head coach has some work to do to find a solution to such a key area of the team.
Perhaps the only one guaranteed to keep his place in the reshuffle – at least in his current position – is Gravenberch, who has been consistently brilliant throughout the past year.
With Wirtz likely to cement his place as a more attacking midfielder, Slot perhaps needs to decide who is the most effective player to sit beside Gravenberch.
Szoboszlai and Mac Allister both have huge qualities, but with something not quite working in the engine room for Slot, a door looks set to open for Liverpool to secure their ideal midfield sitter: Eduardo Camavinga.
Eduardo Camavinga in action for Real Madrid during a La Liga match against Villarreal at Santiago Bernabeu stadium.
Photo by Diego Souto/Getty Images
Liverpool can poach Eduardo Camavinga from Real Madrid
As Rousing The Kop revealed on Friday, Camavinga could leave Real Madrid next summer amid a serious lack of game time under Xabi Alonso.
Although some supporters will wrinkle their noses at the prospect of signing a Madrid cast-off, they need only look at the example of Gravenberch to see why they should not be so sniffy.
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To put it bluntly, Gravenberch failed at Bayern Munich after joining from Ajax in 2022. Just one year later he was on the scrapheap having started only three Bundesliga matches.
Liverpool supporters offered a mixed reaction to the Dutchman’s addition, with some feeling that if he was not good enough for Bayern, why would he succeed at Anfield?
It took Gravenberch some time to answer those critics, but when he did, he did so emphatically. The 23-year-old is now one of the finest midfielders in Europe.
Camavinga’s situation is not identical. The Frenchman is into the fifth season of a generally successful time with Real. But having fallen out of favour under Alonso, and still yet to turn 23, he can revive his career at another of Europe’s biggest clubs.
Ryan Gravenberch and Camavinga can start together
Some Liverpool fans will disagree that the Reds need another midfielder at all. However, if a player like Camavinga suddenly becomes available, you sign him and ask questions later.
The 22-year-old is yet to start any of Real’s 10 La Liga and Champions League matches under Alonso. As a result, he may be obtainable below market value, just like Gravenberch was.
Season Appearances Goals Assists
2021/22 40 2 2
2022/23 59 0 2
2023/24 46 0 3
2024/25 35 2 2
2025/26 5 1 0
Eduardo Camavinga at Real Madrid
He may have played far more matches than your average player of his age, but Camavinga has years left at the top of the game and could even get better. If there’s a chance those years could come with Liverpool, the Reds have to seriously explore it. They did that with Gravenberch and have reaped the rewards.
As they are virtually the same age, Gravenberch and Camavinga could form the basis of Liverpool’s midfield for years to come. With Wirtz roaming in front of them, that has the look of a fierce, world-class midfield.
Liverpool had the foresight to give Gravenberch another chance when others had written him off. If his playing time does not improve over the course of the season, they could do the same with Camavinga in 2026.