Liverpool were expected to be among the busiest clubs in the summer transfer window, but they are yet to make a significant impact in the market.
The arrivals of Victor Munoz and Jeremy Jacquet underline the club’s commitment to investing in up-and-coming talent for the future, though with several senior departures, further additions will be needed to strengthen the squad.
Replacing the leadership, experience and quality of Mohamed Salah, Andrew Robertson and Ibrahima Konate will be no easy task.
All three have been influential figures both on and off the pitch, and Liverpool will need to recruit wisely to ensure the squad remains competitive.
While replacing Salah on the right flank has reportedly been Liverpool’s primary objective in recent weeks, the club have also explored opportunities to strengthen other areas of the squad ahead of the new season.
What’s the latest Liverpool transfer news?
According to Caught Offside, Liverpool have cooled their interest in Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton.
The publication claims the Reds were preparing a £70m bid for the England international in mid-June. However, Liverpool’s recruitment team have since shifted their focus elsewhere, placing any move for the midfielder on hold.
Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur were also credited with an interest in Wharton, but both clubs have reportedly ended their pursuit, leaving Chelsea as the only Premier League side still actively monitoring his situation.
Do Liverpool need a midfielder?
Liverpool’s struggles last season were collective, but the midfield was arguably one of the team’s biggest weakness.
A lack of physicality, combined with the absence of a natural defensive midfielder, repeatedly left Liverpool exposed during defensive transitions and made it difficult to control matches against stronger opposition.
Strengthening the midfield should therefore remain a priority, even if the attack is the club’s main focus this summer.
Harvey Elliott returns after an underwhelming loan spell at Aston Villa, but it remains unclear whether he fits the profile of midfielder Liverpool require going forward.
While his technical quality and attacking threat is unquestionable, he is unlikely to solve the team’s need for greater defensive stability and physical presence.
Liverpool would benefit significantly from signing a specialist defensive midfielder to occupy the six role, a position that has arguably not been properly addressed since Fabinho departed in 2023.
Ryan Gravenberch has often been used in a makeshift holding role, but he is far more effective as a box-to-box midfielder.
His natural strengths lie in carrying the ball through midfield, progressing play and supporting attacks, rather than sitting in front of the defence and breaking up opposition moves which further provides argument to get a specialist in the defensive role.
Although Wharton – once hailed as “oustanding” by England star Declan Rice – possesses many of the attributes Liverpool have lacked in midfield, it appears the club’s recruitment strategy has changed.
Whether that decision proves to be the right one could become much clearer once the new season gets underway, but if Liverpool can nail down a defensive midfield signing in the meantime it could significantly improve the consistency in the centre of the pitch.