The demand for transfers is so insatiable that as soon as Alexis MacAllister’s signing with Liverpool was confirmed, the search for the next fresh face began.
And there’s no question that the World Cup champion from Argentina won’t be the last signing as Jurgen Klopp ramps up efforts to bolster his squad following a wildly unsuccessful campaign.
So Jorg Schmadtke, the new sporting director, has a busy time. The transition is now complete, with Schmadtke taking charge of all incoming and outgoing deals, thanks to the preparations made by his predecessor Julian Ward for Mac Allister’s arrival.
Even though Liverpool’s desire to upgrade their engine room has sparked an open season in terms of players being linked, whether it be agents looking to boost the profile of their client or players looking for a better contract from their current club, further strengthening the midfield remains a top priority.
For just £10.25 million, Liverpool could replace Roberto Firmino by signing forward Jose Mourinho.
But not all of them are wrong. The French duo of Manu Kone of Borussia Moenchengladbach and Khephren Thuram of Nice, where Schmadtke’s son Nils was appointed sporting director last week, are still on the short list as Liverpool looks to identify preferred and practical goals. Another is Ryan Gravenberch; however, despite only signing the Dutchman in the summer, Bayern Munich doesn’t seem eager to sell. All three of them are under 22.
Conor Gallagher, an England international who plays for Chelsea, was previously under observation, but no further action has been taken. Despite being aware of the need for homegrown talent in light of James Milner and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s impending departures, it won’t significantly affect the players that Liverpool sign, as Mason Mount is now getting closer to joining Manchester United.
Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Matheus Nunes has also drawn less attention recently. Although the recruitment team is a huge fan of Newcastle United’s Bruno Guimaraes, they acknowledge that a move for the Brazilian is probably not going to happen.
On the team, some positions seem more secure than others. There has been no indication from within Liverpool that there is a strong desire to bring in a right-back this summer, indicating that Benjamin Pavard of Bayern Munich is not really of interest. A new left-back will only be considered if Kostas Tsimikas looks to leave, but Liverpool were impressed by Luke Chambers’ loan stint at Kilmarnock, where the 18-year-old played in five different positions.
The arrival of Cody Gakpo in January ostensibly replaced the departing Roberto Firmino, and the Reds agree that there is no need to further strengthen their forward line. The Reds are also anxious to avoid impeding the development of highly regarded young right winger Ben Doak, who may be given playing time in the domestic cup competitions and Europa League group stage next season.
A new goalkeeper is also not planned because Adrian is almost certain to sign a contract extension, unless Caoimhin Kelleher actively pursues a transfer. Additional first-team playing time in Europe might be advantageous for him as well.
However, center-back is a position Liverpool are undoubtedly looking at, as Jurgen Klopp acknowledged last month.
Saying that the defense’s center is a ticking time bomb is a little bit of an exaggeration. However, it would be a proactive move from Liverpool given that one or both of Nat Phillips and Rhys Williams are likely to have suitors this summer and that Virgil van Dijk and Joel Matip are both in their 30s, with the latter entering the final 12 months of his contract and Joe Gomez struggling for consistency in the position. In the next 12 months or so, if not this summer, a new center-back will be hired.
Ideal candidates for the position would be left-sided central defenders who have room to develop. Levi Colwill, an under-21 England international who recently returned to Chelsea following a successful season on loan at Brighton, would be a good fit for the position and is highly regarded by the Liverpool hiring staff. But Micky van de Ven, who plays for Schmadtke’s former team Wolfsburg, is not currently the subject of any official interest from the Reds. Liverpool is now trying to narrow down their list of potential targets, just like they did with midfielders.
Schmadtke might still be getting his bearings at Liverpool. But before the start of the new season, he obviously has two specific goals to accomplish.
