“People have told me about this discussion, but the last thing that would have crossed my mind is that we have to sign another midfielder. “We can get through it. Where do you want to start? So Fabinho, Henderson, Thiago, Milner, Keita, Jones, Elliott, Carvalho, Oxlade-Chamberlain – now you tell me what player are we missing?’ There is no doubt that the Liverpool manager has remained firm in his position that the Reds do not need to sign a midfielder this summer. Thiago Alcantara’s injury has left Liverpool with five fit in midfield Jurgen Klopp has insisted all summer that the Reds do not need to bring in an extra midfielder The injury crisis is likely to give opportunities to Harvey Elliott, who has signed a new contract However, after an underwhelming 2-2 draw with Fulham and the injury pile-up, the debate has only intensified with Klopp now left with just five senior capable midfielders on call and facing pressure to dive into the transfer market. The sight of Thiago Alcantara coming off during the second half at Craven Cottage is what Liverpool fans feared. It was later announced that the Spaniard would miss six weeks with a hamstring strain. Combined with Curtis Jones’ calf injury and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s hamstring injury, Klopp’s midfield reserves are extremely depleted. There are serious questions about whether the German can afford to stick to his principles of not needing to add more depth in midfield. The buzz continues to build that Liverpool are just short of another grueling campaign. Klopp’s senior midfield options are now Jordan Henderson, Fabinho, James Milner, Keita and Harvey Elliott. Fabio Carvalho is potentially an alternative but is seen by Klopp as more of an attacking player, as evidenced by the Portugal under-21 international replacing Luis Diaz further forward at Craven Cottage. The loss of Thiago is significant with the Spaniard huge when fit last season and rightly named in the PFA Team of the Year. Henderson should step up even further in his absence but, now 32, the former Sunderland man may be a bit past his prime. Similarly, Milner’s durability never fails to amaze, but it’s hard to count on anyone turning 37 this campaign. Keita, who missed the Fulham clash through illness but is expected to return for Monday’s clash with Crystal Palace, flattered to deceive while at Anfield and struggled for consistency and fitness. Both Curtis Jones (calf) and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (hip) are currently injured. Jordan Henderson struggled on Saturday and will need to step up in Thiago’s absence Elliott, who signed a new long-term contract on Thursday, is a hugely exciting prospect at 19 and continues to impress but, like Milner, it’s too good to rely on a midfielder either at the start or end of their career. Despite a poor display on Saturday, Fabinho has immense quality and the Brazilian is the only option of the five who could arguably be considered at the peak of their careers. The pressure is on after Saturday, which already looks disastrous after Man City looked so impressive against West Ham. Such draws cost the Reds last season and saw them miss out on the title by just one point. The Reds struggled after the starting midfield performed so poorly, with Fabinho, Thiago and Henderson losing possession 22 times on Saturday and Fabinho subbed off less than an hour later. Reds hope Naby Keita will return for Crystal Palace clash after missing Saturday’s clash There is also a strong case that a new midfielder is needed not just because of injuries but as part of Liverpool’s succession planning. Oxlade-Chamberlain and Milner are out of contract at the end of the season, with the pair likely to leave, while Keita is yet to extend his deal which also expires next summer. The prospect of losing three midfielders at once is far from ideal and makes the case for the Reds to add one pick this summer and then their preferred target, Jude Bellingham, next year. Bellingham’s angle is interesting as it is widely reported that the Reds are not making a move for a midfielder this year due to the expectation of the Borussia Dortmund star becoming available in 2023. Liverpool are favorites to sign the England midfielder next summer, but any potential move in this window was always unlikely due to Dortmund already missing out on Erling Haaland. Klopp will have to juggle his midfield options ahead of a grueling World Cup run But the interest in Bellingham and Aurelien Tchouameni, the latter of whom signed for Real Madrid after the Reds’ absence, shows there is recognition of the need to add a midfielder. And while they wait to see who exactly he wants has worked for the club in the past with Virgil van Dijk and Alisson the most notable examples, the rest of the options, combined with an extremely intense start to the pre-World Cup season, means there is a risk he may not added someone is high. Tyler Morton and Leighton Clarkson, two of Anfield’s most promising young midfielders are also on loan this season at Blackburn Rovers and Aberdeen respectively. While this is undoubtedly best for their long-term development, the availability of the two youngsters would complement Klopp’s limited options at the moment. Stefan Bajcetic has impressed in pre-season and featured on Saturday’s bench after being rewarded with a new long-term deal. But at just 17, it’s a huge step towards competitive Premier League games. Summer addition Calvin Ramsay can also play in midfield, but an out-of-position 19-year-old right-back is not the best option for a team with top-four aspirations. However, one can say that this injury crisis is what the squad is all about and eight midfield options when all are fully fit is overkill. It’s also easy to forget for all of Thiago’s undeniable class, the playmaker has struggled with injuries at the club in the past – the Spaniard played just 25 of 38 league games last season. Liverpool reportedly holding out for next summer move for Jude Bellingham Likewise, Oxlade-Chamberlain has barely featured in 2021-22, making his last league appearance in February despite being fit for the end of the season, when he regularly failed to make the matchday squad. Elliott and Carvalho now also have a perfect opportunity to develop and contribute, and a new midfielder could potentially stunt their growth. At the back of Klopp’s mind may also be the time when the Reds had an even worse injury crisis, this time in defence, and panic bought Ben Davies and Ozan Kabak in January 2021. And the German, speaking after Saturday’s game, confirmed the bigger picture when signings are made. He said: “Look, a transfer has to make sense now and in the long term. we have eight midfielders, we still have several midfielders. Thiago has excelled since joining the Reds in 2020 but has struggled with injuries at Anfield “It’s not that we lack midfielders, it’s just that some of them are injured. “And I know, part of the football business is not nervous. We are not. But this is not a good situation, I don’t like it at all. “We have to see how we react to that – but definitely, not panicked.” The lack of a midfielder may also give Klopp the chance to be more adaptable. The 4-2-3-1 formation has been tested at times and to ease the pressure on his depleted reserves is something the Reds could play again. This could suit players like Roberto Firmino, Elliot and especially Carvalho. The former Fulham youngster excelled in such a role last season with 18 goal contributions as the Cottagers cruised to the Championship title. Klopp’s side were interested in Aurelien Tchouameni before he joined Real Madrid this summer However, there is no doubt that the heavily depleted midfield options at Klopp’s disposal are extremely worrying. With the Reds facing a grueling schedule that will see them play 16 Premier League games, six Champions League group games and a Carabao Cup tie in just three months before the World Cup, there is strong reason to believe that Klopp is getting a huge risk. by not signing. But the German has more than enough credit in the bank and will be hoping his remaining options fill the void, while desperately encouraging his medical team to help injured players recover as quickly as possible. However, the Liverpool boss will have to live with his decision – even if it risks leaving the Reds behind in the title race.
