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Liverpool were dealt a major blow a couple of days back when Moises Caicedo rejected the chance to join them. The Reds had agreed a £111 million deal with Brighton & Hove Albion for the Ecuador international. However, Caicedo only wanted to join Chelsea.
According to the latest reports, the Blues have now agreed a £100 million (plus £15 million in add-ons) deal for the 21-year-old midfielder. As a result, Liverpool continue to be on the lookout for a defensive midfielder who can ideally replicate the excellence of Fabinho during his peak years.
As we edge towards the final phase of the 2023 summer transfer window, there is a lot of pressure on Liverpool to find a solution quickly. It's worth bearing in mind that after having offered £111 million for Caicedo, Liverpool have now disadvantaged themselves by revealing their hand.
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Without further ado, let's take a look at five defensive midfielders Liverpool can still target in this transfer window.
#5 Florentino Luis (Benfica)
Enzo Fernandez copped a high-profile transfer to Chelsea in January earlier this year. The Argentine midfielder impressed for Argentina at the 2022 FIFA World Cup and won the Young Player of the Tournament Award. Addtionally, his exploits at Benfica forced Chelsea's hand.
However, what often gets overlooked is the fact that at Benfica, Fernandez had plenty of help from his midfield partner Florentino Luis. The Portuguese midfielder had rather unimpressive loan spells at Monaco and Getafe in the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons.
Therefore, his incredible growth in the 2022-23 campaign came as a surprise. It was so welcome a blessing that Benfica gave him a better contract and placed a €120 million release clause in it. Luis' game is all about functionality and he would fit the bill for Liverpool.
However, Benfica are notoriously difficult to negotiate with and Liverpool will have to allocate a significant part of their resources to get the deal over the line.
#4 Manuel Locatelli (Juventus)
Juventus signed Manuel Locatelli in the summer of 2021 on an initial loan deal with an obligation to buy the player for €25 million. He has done a decent job for them in midfield over the past couple of seasons but thanks to Juventus' precarious financial situation, he is an option for Liverpool.
The Italy international is a strong physical presence in midfield. He is good at playing line-breaking passes and breaking down attacks and could prove to be a great fit for Klopp's system. At 25, Locatelli could be about to hit his peak and Liverpool could juice his best years out of him if they can sign him now.
#3 Ryan Gravenberch (Bayern Munich)
Bayern Munich midfielder Ryan Gravenberch is a player that Liverpool have had on their radar for a while now. The Dutch midfielder joined Bayern Munich last summer but ended up starting just three Bundesliga games.
He should be more than keen to join a top European club where he is guaranteed more playing time. Speaking to the Born and Red YouTube channel on August 6, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano said:
“They love [Ryan] Gravenberch, 100%. It’s about the director [Jorg Schmadtke], it’s about Jurgen Klopp. They really, really like the player and the player is open to the idea of making a move.
“So, Ryan Gravenberch wants to speak to Bayern again to clarify his position. What I can say is that Bayern are still in the same position in June, July and also now in August.
“They don’t want to sell the player, so they are sure that Ryan Gravenberch is going to be a top star of the position in the future. It’s not an easy conversation with Bayern when they say no. The only way to make it happen is on the player’s side."
With the Bavarians roping in Konrad Laimer from RB Leipzig this summer, Gravenberch's concerns over playing time could have only aggravated. Widely viewed as one of the most talented young midfielders in the world, these are crucial years as far as Gravenberch's development is concerned.
#2 Cheick Doucoure (Crystal Palace)
Cheick Doucoure was one of Crystal Palace's standout performers in the 2022-23 season. He was voted the Player of the Season by Palace fans at the end of last term. A brilliant midfield destroyer, Doucoure's incredible tackling and game-reading abilities make him one of the best in the Premier League.
Only Declan Rice made more interceptions (63) in the Premier League than Doucoure (56) last term. He is only 23 years old and is yet to hit his prime. Doucoure is also a very good passer of the ball and could be a great signing for Liverpool.
According to reports, Palace want £70 million for Doucoure. He might just be worth the gamble for Liverpool as he certainly ticks all the boxes and has already shown that he has what it takes to hack it in the Premier League.
#1 Romeo Lavia (Southampton)
Former Manchester City youth-team star impressed heavily in his first season at Southampton. Replacing the unfussy Oriol Romeu was no easy task but Lavia did it in admirable fashion.
As things stand, Liverpool and Chelsea are in the race to sign the teenager. Lavia's game-reading ability, fearlessness and composure belie his age. But Liverpool, who were trying to bargain for Lavia with Southampton, has quite possibly rubbed the Saints the wrong way after bidding £111 million for Caicedo.
However, if the relationship between the two clubs hasn't soured, then they should revive their interest in Lavia and sign the youngster.
