Liverpool could look ‘long and hard’ at one position in summer market – and it’s not in defence

Journalist Ian Doyle has claimed that Liverpool could look ‘long and hard’ at strengthening one position in particular during the summer transfer window.

Despite spending almost £450m on new signings last year, a spate of injuries this season has left Arne Slot frightfully short of senior options in a few key positions – most notably in defence, with multiple midfielders deputising as emergency right-backs.

The Reds have already moved to bolster their backline ahead of the 2026/27 campaign by signing Jeremy Jacquet, who’ll arrive from Rennes in the summer, but there may be a need for further defensive additions if negotiations over a potential new contract for Ibrahima Konate hit a dead end.

Liverpool could look ‘long and hard’ at signing a new no.6

In a readers’ Q&A for the Liverpool Echo, Doyle was asked about the probability of incoming transfer activity in the off-season and which positions are most likely to be targeted.

While the journalist indicated that activity could be contingent on which players leave in the summer, he drew particular attention to the need for a new defensive midfielder.

He stated: ‘The interesting position is in defensive midfield. There continue to be rumours of Alexis Mac Allister being of interest to Real Madrid, while Wataru Endo didn’t get much of a look-in before his injury.

‘With Slot having referenced on Friday the lack of cover in the position, I wouldn’t be surprised if Liverpool looked long and hard at a major number six arrival. They may need more than one.’

Are Liverpool likely to sign a defensive midfielder this summer?

Midfield has been one of the few positions where Liverpool haven’t been badly affected by injuries this season, and although Endo is now set to be ruled out for a lengthy period, he has been a sporadic presence in the line-up this season.

Even had he not gotten injured at Sunderland in midweek, it’s plausible that the Anfield hierarchy would’ve been contemplating the addition of a specialist defensive midfielder in the summer.

Whilst Ryan Gravenberch and Mac Allister excelled in the midfield engine room last term, that double act hasn’t been quite as effective in the current campaign, and there’s a case to be made for bringing in a true starting number 6 in the mould of a Fabinho.

As Doyle pointed out, whether or not it happens this year could depend on the need to address other positions in the squad, as well as how far Liverpool’s transfer budget will stretch.

Slot prompted alarm among some supporters this week when stating that failure to qualify for the Champions League would have an ‘enormous impact’ on the club’s spending power in the summer (The Athletic), and the important of being in that competition can’t be overstated.

It’s coming up to three years since Jurgen Klopp’s full-scale midfield overhaul, which went a long way towards transforming the Reds’ fortunes either side of the managerial handover. It’s not unthinkable that the position could be addressed in the next transfer window, even if not to the same extent as in 2023.

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