Liverpool has already signed Alexis MacAllister, Dominik Szoboszlai, and Wataru Endo this summer, but has to do more as the countdown to September 1 continues.
Liverpool’s team is in terrific shape with only 10 days left in the transfer season before no more moves can be done until January, but there are still improvements that can be made.
Specifically, Liverpool lacks the level of senior holding midfielder that would have been expected at the start of the summer — while Endo could prove to be an astute purchase, he is neither a game-changer like Moisés Caicedo nor a long-term option, given his age — or a left-sided center-back, with defensive strength looking a little thin.
With such a short time till the window closes, and having given new sports director Jörg Schmadtke so much to do in his first summer on the job, what are the Reds’ priorities from here?
Liverpool.com has examined them and graded them in terms of importance, looking at each element and what it may imply for the Reds.
Defense reinforcement in the center
Liverpool has been seeking for a left-sided defender, but several players linked have gone on, including Joko Gvardiol, who joined Manchester City. Meanwhile, Levi Colwill and Gonçalo Inácio have both signed new contracts with their respective clubs and are thus off the market for the time being.
Liverpool, on the other hand, must find a solution. With Virgil van Dijk unable to play every game, Ibrahima Konaté’s fitness record not being the best, with Jol Matip and Joe Gomez both better on the right.
That must be the next priority for Liverpool to address. Although the evolution of that area of the field is not yet complete, Endo’s presence ensures that there are sufficient numbers in midfield for the time being.
Senior defensive midfielder
Endo’s ability to provide a solution remains to be seen, but The Athletic says that Liverpool has no plans to sign another player in that position. Instead, the Japanese captain and Stefan Bajetic will be relied on to cover that, with others like Mac Allister and Thiago available to jump in as needed.
While there will be a need for extra midfielders at some point, the question is whether the perfect player is available right now. Finding someone of Caicedo’s caliber is difficult, but someone will appear at some point. When that occurs, Liverpool does not want to be short on space or funds to make it happen.
Transfer of Ryan Gravenberch
Gravenberch has long been a target for Liverpool, and it is still feasible that he will leave Bayern Munich this summer. If that is the case, The Athletic reports that Liverpool will be interested in him.
It has to be a lower priority than center back or defensive midfield for the time being because Liverpool has a larger need for more naturally defensive-minded players, but if Gravenberch does move this summer, it would be foolish to miss out.
Gravenberch might go for a relatively small quantity of money — around $33 million (£26 million/€30 million), according to BILD — and failing to get him now could mean never getting him if he leaves and goes elsewhere. It’s now or never for Cody Gakpo, as he said in January.
Nat Phillips’ departure
Nat Phillips’ departure has recently been quiet, but Liverpool has to cash in and let him move on with his career. It’s not going to be game-changing money — roughly $13 million (£10 million/€12 million), according to the ECHO, though that could be optimistic — but Phillips, at 26, must go.
With interest from Leeds United earlier this summer, a move to the upper end of the Championship should be conceivable, but he won’t be getting many minutes at Liverpool in the near future. Feyenoord has also been connected (via The Athletic), and a move abroad would be an intriguing option. Liverpool has a low priority, but the player should have a high priority.