Fabinho in action for Liverpoolplaceholder image
Fabinho in action for Liverpool | Getty Images
Liverpool remain linked with new defensive midfielders since they parted ways with Fabinho
Something Liverpool have been searching for since 2023 is a strong, reliable defensive midfielder.
When the Reds sold Fabinho two summers ago, they struggled to find someone of a similar calibre to fill the hole he had left behind. The Brazilian set the benchmark high with his physicality and no-nonsense approach to dealing with attacking threats.
As well as his physical presence in the engine room - and even across the backline when called upon - the technical and mental side of Fabinho’s game was also crucial for Liverpool’s operation. The midfielder always boasted a strong passing game and was credited with his vision to pick out goalscoring opportunities, as well as the odd long-range screamer he could pull from his locker.
Arne Slot has done a fine job of integrating Ryan Gravenberch more into the starting 11, after being mostly a rotational player under Jurgen Klopp. However, Liverpool may have thrown away the chance to nurture a player who could become a similar star to Fabinho.
Liverpool may have thrown away their Fabinho 2.0
Over the summer, Liverpool offloaded a long list of players, most of whom were described as ‘homegrown’ and earned the club a significant profit. Tyler Morton was one of the outgoing names.
The 23-year-old was sold to Olympique Lyonnais over the summer for a handsome £15 million, despite making just 14 senior appearances during his Liverpool career. Having struggled to integrate himself as a regular at Anfield, Morton left the club in pursuit of a starting role, which is what he has found in France.
Morton has started all but one match he has been eligible to feature in this season, across Ligue 1 and the Europa League. He missed a league clash due to a red card suspension.
The 23-year-old operates as a No.6 for his new side and his stats are showing he is certainly capable of being a reliable midfield powerhouse. He even contributed the winning goal in a 1-0 victory over Lille back in September, marking his first for the club in clutch style.
Tyler Morton stats this season
Morton’s defensive stats for Lyon this season are impressive. According to the WhoScored? comparison tool, the 23-year-old is has averaged 1.9 tackles and 1.5 clearances per 90 minutes. This is higher than Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch’s figures so far this season in these areas.
We also took a look back at Fabinho’s stats in the Premier League during his last season with Liverpool. Across the full season, Fabinho averaged 1.8 tackles and 1.1 clearances. He also averaged two long balls per 90 minutes, while Morton is on 3.3 at this early stage in the season.
If Morton’s performances for Lyon keep up this season, he could be well on track to secure a season typical to the standard of Fabinho while he was with the Reds.
What’s frustrating for Liverpool though, is there is no buy-back clause included in Morton’s contract with Lyon. The Reds are usually thoughtful in this sense, in case they want to bring a promising player back to Anfield, but if they do want a reunion with their former player, they will need to bid for him like any other club.
While Gravenberch and Mac Allister are solid members of the Liverpool midfield, the Reds are still tempted by other defensive players on the market.
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