Liverpool's midfield has struggled this season but they could find a solution in the form of a player Jurgen Klopp was desperate to sign
Aurelien Tchouameni was once a key transfer target for Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool
Aurelien Tchouameni was once a key transfer target for Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool(Image: Photo by Soccrates/Getty Images)
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Liverpool may be grappling with several problems across the pitch this season, but there's one area that cannot be ignored this summer: their midfield. Arne Slot could go some way to solving that issue with the acquisition of the club's long-term target, Real Madrid's Aurelien Tchouameni.
The Dutch manager's central hub was brutally exposed by Manchester United in the Red Devils' 3-2 win at Old Trafford on Sunday. The nation's media ran the rule over the United defeat, with the Reds' midfield coming under fire for a lack of quality.
Fans have had their say, too, and the consensus is that Liverpool are lacking energy and fight in their engine room. While Slot's side, powered by Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai, strolled to the Premier League title last season, this year, Liverpool's central unit has often been outrun and outfought.
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It feels a world away from the Liverpool seen under Jurgen Klopp, armed with the industrious, workman-like qualities of Jordan Henderson, Gini Wijnaldum and Fabinho, which would dominate opponents without giving them a moment's breath.
Yet even equipped with a midfield dripping with ingenuity and strength, Klopp still cast his eye toward Tchouameni, which is why the 26-year-old must be a target for Liverpool this summer.
Tchouameni was heavily linked with a move to Anfield in 2022. The midfielder had starred for Monaco during the 2021/22 season and it was widely reported at the time that Klopp even personally travelled to France in the hope of getting a deal over the line, while he is also said to have had phone calls with the defensive midfielder.
Aurelien Tchouameni in action for Real Madrid
Aurelien Tchouameni could help strengthen Liverpool's midfield(Image: Federico Titone/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
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Tchouameni decided to join Madrid rather than Liverpool in a deal worth up to £85million. He even admitted that Liverpool tried to sign him.
“The first club to show interest in me was Liverpool,” Tchouameni said in an interview with Le Parisien in November 2022. “There were discussions, but as soon as Real Madrid entered, my mind was made up. I didn't hesitate for a second. I told my agent, take me to Real Madrid.”
Yes, Tchouameni is a key asset for Los Blancos at the moment. However, with another managerial change on the horizon, and the likes of Manchester City's Rodri and Chelsea's Enzo Fernandez being linked with a move to the Spanish capital, the French star could see his future lie elsewhere.
Signing a player with Tchouameni's impressive physical attributes makes a lot of sense. He is strong in the challenge, winning almost 70 per cent of his duels this season and dominant in the air. He also has a 91.4 per cent passing rate this season, according to FotMob.
The Frenchman would bring World Cup and Champions League-winning experience to a Liverpool midfield that looks to be running on fumes. While Szoboszlai has shone this season more often than not, Curtis Jones has found himself on the sidelines - and is approaching the final 12 months of his contract.
Mac Allister has persistently struggled this season too, looking leggy to say the least, while Florian Wirtz has toiled on the left and in the hole behind the Reds' attack. Defensive midfield specialist Wataru Endo is a long-term absentee through injury and is likely to be moved on this summer.
Alexis Mac Allister, Curtis Jones and Ryan Gravenberch of Liverpool look dejected during the Premier League match against Nottingham Forest at Anfield on November 22 2025
Liverpool's engine room has struggled this season(Image: Molly Darlington/Getty Images)
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Ryan Gravenberch, who penned a new long-term deal this season, has also failed to make the impact of last year. Yet the introduction of a bonafide holding midfielder in Tchouameni could work wonders for the Dutchman's development at Anfield.
It won't be an easy deal for Liverpool to pull off. It's rumoured that Madrid intend to offer the Frenchman a new long-term contract to 2031. They are also said to be confident that he’ll remain at the Bernabeu, with two years remaining on his current deal.
Manchester United and Arsenal are also said to be interested, with any suitor expected to cough up around £80m. Yet it could be a more than worthwhile investment to finally gift Slot a powerhouse midfielder who can cope with a Premier League that's becoming more physical by the week.
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