Following news of Fabinho being left of out Liverpool’s pre-season training camp in Germany, a reliable journalist has named four players the club are looking at as replacements.
Fabinho is the subject of a £40 million bid from Saudi side Al Ittihad and looks set to bring to a close his five years at Anfield.
And with Jordan Henderson‘s future also very much in doubt due to him also being a target for another Saudi side, Al Ettifaq, Liverpool are needing further midfield signings on top of Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai.
Quite who they can turn to for an experienced, high quality holding midfielder, is not an easy question.
Sky Sports’ Melissa Reddy tweeted shortly after the Fabinho news broke that four players are being assessed for a profile of being an “immediate starter.”
Reddy lists them as Fiorentina’s Sofyan Amrabat, who impressed at the World Cup with Morocco; Bayern’s Ryan Gravenberch, who isn’t really a holding midfielder; Man City‘s Kalvin Phillips, who turns 28 later this year; and Southampton teenager Romeo Lavia, who has been heavily linked in recent weeks regardless.
Of those, Lavia appears the best option, but he is far from being of the experienced profile or finished product that is really required.
Liverpool had been assessing longer-term candidates to replace Fabinho. Profile might shift as they'll require an immediate starter. Among the names mooted have been Sofyan Amrabat, Ryan Gravenberch, Kalvin Phillips and Romeo Lavia…
Moises Caicedo not on their list.
— Melissa Reddy (@MelissaReddy_) July 15, 2023
Disappointingly, Reddy states that Brighton‘s Moises Caicdeo is “not on their list.”
It must be stressed that Reddy’s words are not exactly a solid statement of a list of targets, and Liverpool will be working behind the scenes to identify other potential targets.
Indeed, there are huge question marks against each of the four, from age, ability, experience or actual fit for the role.
Amrabat, 26, is a player who was somewhat linked during the World Cup but never be any credible source or Merseyside reporter.
Phillips has had a nightmare first season at Man City, including public criticism from Pep Guardiola.
Gravenberch is not a holding midfielder, certainly not of the type Liverpool need.
Lavia is clearly an exceptional talent, but at 19 he is still very raw and far from the high quality addition that is required from an immediate starter in Liverpool’s midfield.
The bid for Fabinho, and indeed the interest in Henderson, has seemingly thrown Jurgen Klopp‘s summer plans into chaos.
It looks set to be a very interesting and very busy few weeks for the Reds.
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