Liverpool got punished throughout the whole of last season, with the Reds eventually finishing fifth in the Premier League table while failing to deliver a single piece of silverware to Anfield. In the summer beforehand, Jürgen Klopp failed to invest in his ageing midfield department, keeping faith in his seasoned lieutenants such as Jordan Henderson, James Milner and Fabinho.
Once the campaign started, it was clear for all to see that Liverpool had lost plenty of strength in the middle of the park, with the Anfield outfit lacking power, intensity and energy on the field. The Reds ended up conceding 47 Premier League goals in total, which was more than both Aston Villa and Brentford.
All of the security that Henderson, Fabinho, Milner, Naby Keïta and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain had provided over the years had disappeared, with all five allowed to leave Merseyside this summer as Klopp sanctioned an overdue renovation job. Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai and Wataru Endo have all joined as new reinforcements, but at least one more defensive midfielder is still desired.
Endo has taken Fabinho’s vacant number three shirt, but he is now 30 years old and has very little experience of playing at the very highest level, having spent his prime years representing Stuttgart in the Bundesliga. The captain of Japan is a solid squad addition, but many supporters expect Liverpool to spend more on a capable successor.
According to The Athletic, the famed data science department at Anfield suggested three possible candidates to replace Fabinho this summer, with those being Roméo Lavia, Moisés Caicedo and Boubacar Kamara. Indeed, Liverpool has tried to sign two of those players over the past few weeks, losing out on both to Chelsea.
What is perhaps more concerning is both Lavia and Kamara changed clubs just 12 months ago. The former left Manchester City and signed for Southampton, whereas the latter left Marseille after running down his contract and joined Aston Villa on a bargain free transfer.
Liverpool simply watched both deals happen, and rather than getting involved, Klopp decided to empower his old guard, who had delivered for him throughout his tenure.
On top of Lavia and Kamara, it is also worth noting that Cheick Doucouré was another player who changed clubs last summer, with Crystal Palace poaching him from Lens. The Malian international joined the Eagles for a very reasonable price, and proceeded to win Player of the Season at Selhurst Park.
Liverpool is now interested in him as a possible heir to Fabinho’s throne, but he looks almost unattainable. Crystal Palace is demanding a hefty fee in order to part with his signature, with the Reds reluctant to get taken for a ride in the transfer market.
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