Liverpool went into the summer knowing they would lose three midfielders, but little did they know they might have to replace arguably their two most important players in the middle of the park over recent years.
Jurgen Klopp’s side let James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain all leave at the end of their contracts – aware that a rebuild was needed following a disappointing campaign.
Liverpool have boosted their squad with two young creative midfielders in Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton and Dominik Szoboszlai from RB Leipzig, costing the Reds a total of £95m.
The Reds were already considering moves for a third midfielder, but another signing looks to be an imperative now with both Jordan Henderson and Fabinho wanting to take their talents to Saudi Arabia at Steven Gerrard’s Al-Ettifaq and Al-Ittihad respectively.
Mail Sport takes a look at eight players on Liverpool’s midfield shortlist, who Jurgen Klopp could look to sign to help fill the expected void left by Henderson and Fabinho.
Romeo Lavia
The £50m rated Southampton midfielder has been linked with Liverpool throughout the summer, though there are concerns among Reds fans whether the signing of the 19-year-old would be enough if both Henderson and Fabinho leave.
At 19-years-old, the Belgian international is the youngest player on this list and lacks the considerable experience that Henderson and Fabinho both brought to the fold.
However, there is a reason why Lavia has been the subject of interest from not only Liverpool, but also the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea and Man United.
The Reds have been tracking Lavia thanks to his eye-catching form, against the backdrop of a challenging season for the relegated Saints.
Lavia made 34 appearances across all competitions for Southampton last season, scoring his only goal in the 2-1 win over Chelsea – becoming the first player born in 2004 to score in the Premier League.
Liverpool feel the £50m price tag is too high for Lavia, but he is a cheaper option than some of the other midfielders who are on their shortlist.
Cheick Doucoure
The most recent player to be linked with a move to Anfield is Crystal Palace star Doucoure.
As reported by Mail Sport, the Reds have begun work on calculating the cost of signing the Mali international.
Liverpool are yet to make an approach to Palace, but the south London club are bracing themselves for an enquiry.
Palace, who signed Doucoure for £18m from Lens last summer, are very keen to keep the 24-year-old.
However, Mail Sport understands that Palace officials are likely to find it difficult to refuse a £70m offer should the Reds make one.
Their price tag of Doucoure is a clear sign that Arsenal’s £105m move for Declan Rice, and Moises Caicedo a £100m target for Chelsea, could make it an expensive task to sign a top defensive midfielder this summer.
Sofyan Amrabat
One of the stars of the Qatar World Cup, playing a crucial role in helping Morocco reach the semi-finals – the furthest an African team has reached.
Even in their semi-final loss to France, Amrabat summed up the Moroccan spirit as he chased down Kylian Mbappe and put a crucial challenge in on the Paris Saint-Germain superstar.
Since then he has been linked with a number of top European sides including Manchester United.
Given his contract at current side Fiorentina expires next summer, he could prove to be the cheapest option on this list.
Reports have suggested that the 26-year-old could be available for as little as £30m.
Amrabat played 49 games for Fiorentina in all competitions last season, and should the Reds make a move, they will hope that he doesn’t go down as one of those World Cup wonders who fail to make the grade after a big transfer.
Ryan Gravenberch
The Dutch midfielder left his boyhood club Ajax to join Bayern Munich last summer, but was limited to just three Bundesliga starts in his first season at the club after falling out of favour under Julian Nagelsmann and Thomas Tuchel.
Despite this, Gravenberch has been tipped as one of the best young midfielders in European football and Liverpool have been linked with a move for him throughout the summer.
He would be one of the cheapest options on Klopp’s shortlist after joining Bayern Munich for £21m last summer.
Reports back in April claimed that the Reds were in talks with the 21-year-old’s father over a £25m move to Anfield.
The Reds though did suffer a blow last month, as Gravenberch admitted that while he expected to play more last season, he ‘assumes’ he will still be at Bayern next season.
However, the fact that Bayern didn’t choose to start him last season, does raise the question of whether he would have an immediate impact at Liverpool – something Klopp arguably needs given they are losing two regular members of their starting XI.
Aurelien Tchouameni
The Reds missed out on Tchouameni in the summer of 2022 as the Frenchman decided to join Real Madrid in an £85m deal.
However, with Madrid’s recent £113m acquisition of Jude Bellingham, together with concerns over his game time at the Santiago Bernabeu, has again raised questions over his future.
The 23-year-old did make 50 appearances last season, however he made just 24 starts in LaLiga as the likes of Luka Modric, Toni Kroos and Eduardo Camavinga were often picked ahead.
Bayern Munich have also reportedly joined the race for the midfielder, who could be available for £70m.
Even if Tchouameni is on Klopp’s shortlist however, it looks like it could be an impossible move to complete.
He chose Madrid over Liverpool last year, and just last week he liked a tweet which read: ‘Tchouameni is NOT FOR SALE. You understand? @Liverpool.’
Kalvin Phillips
Perhaps the shock name on the list given Manchester City’s rivalry with Liverpool over recent seasons.
Despite starting only four games in all competitions since his £45m move from Leeds, it could take a bit of persuading from Liverpool to convince Man City to strengthen one of their rivals.
Phillips struggled to get much of a chance last season due to injuries and the competition in a stacked Man City side who won the Treble.
Liverpool though, should they lose Henderson and Fabinho, would have the room in their team to give Phillips an opportunity in their starting XI.
Reports in April suggested Liverpool would look to sign Phillips for a cut-price £35m deal this summer.
Phillips has vital experience in a highly energetic team when he was a key cog at Leeds – playing as their deepest midfielder often setting the tempo. That will be the player Klopp remembers should Liverpool make an approach.
Joao Palhinha
The Fulham star has been linked with a big money move after helping the Cottagers secure a top-half finish last season.
He has been most strongly linked with West Ham, with Mail Sport reporting that Fulham want around £60m for the player.
They are particularly keen given the departure of captain Rice to Arsenal.
The Portuguese international though is also on Liverpool’s shortlist and would naturally fill the defensive midfield role left by Fabinho.
However with his price tag and due to the fact that he is 28-years-old – the eldest player on this list – it wouldn’t be a surprise if Klopp looks to go elsewhere.
Khephren Thuram
The strongest linked player on this list is Nice midfielder Thuram.
It looked as though the Reds ended their interest in the son of France legend Lilian following the signings of Mac Allister and Szoboszlai.
The picture has changed though with Henderson and Fabinho’s imminent departures from Anfield.
A fee of around £52m has previously been touted for the 22-year-old defensive midfielder, who made 48 appearances across all competitions last season.
Bayern Munich have also been linked with a move for Thuram, providing some potential stiff competition to land his services.
Liverpool fans floated the outrageous theory that both Thuram and Lavia were set to sign for the club after tracking a globe-trotting private jet heading to their training base in Stuttgart
The plane took off from Nice Airport in the south of France – the city where Thuram plies his trade – at 8.45am on Monday morning, and later landed in Blackpool, where the original poster of the theory believes the flight was redirected, from Liverpool.
From there, the jet took off at 12pm to land 48 minutes later in Southampton, where Lavia has featured since July 2022 – before heading to Stuttgart.
