Liverpool correspondent James Pearce has offered an update on the club’s plans for their midfield ahead of the new Premier League season.
The Reds have been linked with a move for Atletico Madrid midfielder Saul Niguez, but despite those rumours, it looks as though the club will trust ‘solutions within’ instead of splashing out in the transfer market.
Rather than looking to sign a new midfielder, Pearce claimed the likes of Naby Keita, James Milner and others are now expected to step up.
Speaking on The Red Sea Podcast, Pearce began by explaining why a move for Saul Niguez was looking like an unlikely proposition.
He explained: “The wage demands are very high. I just don’t think it’s the kind of deal that Liverpool are looking to do.”
Pearce went on to outline what midfield options would be available to the club if they didn’t enter the transfer market: “From what I’m hearing, it’s very much looking for solutions within.
“And also, I should say, believing that they do have the solutions within, because I think it’s right that essentially once we’re into the season, I think we’ll see Fabinho, Henderson, Thiago as the midfield three.
“Klopp does have options – that leaves you Keita and Curtis Jones and Milner and Oxlade-Chamberlain.”
TIF Thoughts on Liverpool’s midfield situation…
Having lost Gini Wijnaldum on a free transfer at the start of this summer, it would seem likely that the club would go out and sign a player to replace that quality.
However, as Pearce suggests, this doesn’t seem to be the likely outcome at the moment. One reason behind this is possibly Liverpool’s financial issues which arose due to the impact of the pandemic.
One player who would hope to have a good impact in the absence of Wijnaldum is Naby Keita. The 26-year-old signed for the club in 2018 but a series of injuries have prevented him from fulfilling his potential.
If he can stay fit this season, perhaps Liverpool won’t need to sign a new midfielder after all.