Liverpool have an opportunity to bring in new players in the January transfer window and it looks as though that may be the case, following a new claim.
When Jurgen Klopp departed as Reds manager at the end of last season, many supporters hoped new head coach Arne Slot would be backed in the transfer market.
Instead, a frustrating summer window took place at Anfield, with Federico Chiesa and Giorgi Mamardashvili the only additions.
Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi emerged as Liverpool’s top target in the No.6 role, but he ended up deciding to remain at his current club, acting as a significant blow to Slot.
Rather than look at an alternative to the Euro 2024-winning Spaniard, the Reds chose to get by with the options at their disposal, with Ryan Gravenberch excelling next to Alexis Mac Allister in a double pivot so far this season.
Despite this, Football Insider claim that Liverpool intend to sign a No.6 when the January transfer window arrives, as they look to “sell Wataru Endo and replace him with a younger defensive midfielder who can provide cover and competition” for Gravenberch.
Our thoughts on Liverpool signing a midfielder to replace Endo…
It remains to be seen if Zubimendi is again at the top of Slot’s midfield wishlist in January, but at 25, he is significantly younger than the 31-year-old Wataru Endo and would act as an upgrade.
Either way, it is encouraging to see that Liverpool still see the importance of signing a player in that area of the pitch, even though Gravenberch has been so impressive, again standing out as a star man in the 2-0 win over Bologna on Wednesday night.
The loss of Rodri to long-term injury is likely to highlight the importance of a top-quality defensive midfielder for Manchester City this season, and while the Reds’ current players are doing well there, bringing in another new face who can excel defensively off the ball makes complete sense.
As for Endo, he enjoyed a solid first season at Liverpool but his technical limitations and ageing legs have been made clear, so cashing in on him in January for a younger model would also be a good decision.
