Question marks regarding Liverpool‘s midfield were laid bare in their 2-2 draw with Newcastle United on the opening weekend of the Premier League season.
The Reds needed a 99th-minute Dominik Szoboszlai penalty to salvage a draw at St. James’ Park, following a match in which they were repeatedly cut open by the Magpies.
Newcastle’s first goal perfectly exposed Liverpool’s weakness through the middle. All three of their central midfielders — Ryan Gravenberch, Szoboszlai and Florian Wirtz — were caught upfield on their own attack, with the hosts exploiting the central space with a ruthless counter-attack; William Osula providing the pass and Anthony Elanga applying the finish.
This was a theme throughout the match, with Virgil van Dijk and Jeremy Jacquet left exposed on numerous occasions as those in front of them naturally drifted forward.
Liverpool’s average positions vs Newcastle
Andoni Iraola has a personnel issue when it comes to the No.6 position. None of his central midfielders on Sunday are naturals in this role, with that even applying to Gravenberch, who has only ever been shoehorned into that position and is at his best as a deep-lying playmaker rather than a destroyer.
Meanwhile, Szoboszlai is better as a box-to-box option, Wirtz is an outright creative player, and Alexis Mac Allister is best-known for his press resistance and work rate, rather than his ability to break up play in deeper positions.
Matters have been made worse at Anfield by the departure of Curtis Jones, who wouldn’t have been a natural No.6 but could have provided a plaster and has always been a willing squad player in any position.
So, while much of the focus is on Liverpool’s pursuit of Bradley Barcola and Yankuba Minteh on the wings, they have a glaring defensive midfield issue to solve. Who could they sign? Here are dream, realistic and wildcard options.
Liverpool midfield transfer options
Dream: Adam Wharton
The obvious sticking point with Adam Wharton that moves him into the ‘dream’ category is the price tag. The Crystal Palace star has become one of the most accomplished midfielders in the Premier League and was desperately unlucky not to make the England World Cup squad over the summer. But that quality from a domestic player carries a heavy premium.
If Liverpool can put up the cash, they’d be getting a measured and precise technician, who was first among Crystal Palace players last season for final third passes completed (279) and through-balls completed (14), showcasing his ability to progress play.
Most importantly, of course, Wharton ranked 11th among Premier League midfielders for tackles (70), ninth for possessions won in the middle third (94) and 14th for ball recoveries (165). The 22-year-old supplements his class with defensive aggression and elite positioning, and it’s hard to imagine a goal like Newcastle’s opener being conceded by Liverpool with Wharton in the pivot.
Realistic: Alex Scott
You probably don’t need us to go into too much detail as to why Alex Scott is the ‘realistic’ option. The 23-year-old played 89 times under Iraola at Bournemouth and played a crucial role in the Cherries’ rise to European qualification.
Scott’s game is more about driving runs and a powerful defensive engine than craft and positioning, so there is an argument that signing him wouldn’t actually solve the issues Liverpool are experiencing right now. But there is volume there, too, with Scott first among Bournemouth players in the Premier League last season for possessions won in the middle third (99).
A calculated gamble for a manager who knows how to get the very best from this player.
Wildcard: Use existing options
Despite the signing of Victor Munoz, Liverpool look hellbent on making further signings on the wings before the window closes. There’s a very real possibility that they go all in on both Barcola and Minteh.
In that scenario, it’s hard to imagine there being too much cash left around for a defensive midfielder.
Instead, Liverpool would have to turn to their existing options. There is talk that Iraola intends to give more minutes to Trey Nyoni, who has just 20 senior appearances under his belt so far.
Of course, the Reds do still have a senior and natural defensive midfielder in their squad in the form of Wataru Endo. At 33 years old, and coming off a season in which he suffered numerous injury setbacks, Endo certainly wouldn’t provide a long-term solution. However, he was first among Liverpool players with at least 150 Premier League minutes last season for tackles per 90 minutes (3.68).
Endo has been a reliable figure when called upon by Liverpool and has proven himself a disruptive force in midfield time and again. Perhaps he can help plug the gap for Iraola on a short-term basis while Liverpool figure out longer-term options.
Squawka Suggests: Lamine Camara
If you want elite defensive coverage alongside terrifying transition power, AS Monaco’s Lamine Camara is the ideal target. The Senegal international combines a relentless ball-winning volume with aggressive spatial coverage, operating as a true destructive engine in central areas.
The 22-year-old was second among players with at least 50% of minutes played in Ligue 1 last season for tackles (2.67), interceptions (1.8) and possessions won in the middle third per 90 (3.84), highlighting what an elite destructive force he is.
Camara’s explosive physical traits allow him to dominate second balls, while his direct passing range quickly launches counter-attacks.
It’s understood that Camara would cost less than £40m, making him cheaper than both Wharton and Scott. What’s more, he offers far more physicality than the former and a higher defensive floor than the latter, making him the perfect middle ground.
A defensive midfielder moving from Monaco to Liverpool has worked before with Fabinho. Why not repeat the feat?