It’s all starting to get a little frantic across the Premier League, none more so than for Liverpool, with time running out for the Merseysiders to properly bolster Andoni Iraola‘s ranks.
With a deal for Bradley Barcola yet to progress, the Reds have also lasered in on Brighton and Hove Albion’s Yankuba Minteh. No luck there either.
The alternative to the young Gambian appears to be Crystal Palace star, Ismaila Sarr, albeit with the Eagles again unlikely to be willing sellers so late in the window, having rebuffed an initial £50m bid.
Quite how has it all come to this, amid such a desperate trolley dash with the deadline looming. More importantly too, have FSG actually got their priorities right?
Why Ismaila Sarr shouldn’t be Liverpool’s priority
On the face of it, a new batch of forwards does appear a must at Anfield, not least following the exit of long-serving talisman, Mo Salah, at the end of last season.
And yet, were the flanks really the issue for Iraola’s men at the weekend? Yes, Lewis Hall kept Rio Ngumoha quiet for an hour or so, yet the introduction of new man Victor Munoz helped earn the visitors a last-gasp penalty at St James’ Park.
On the opposite side, Liverpool’s biggest attacking threat had been Cody Gakpo, the Dutchman scoring his side’s first of the day amid the backdrop of ongoing links to the likes of Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur.
With Florian Wirtz a potential option off the left too if needed, FSG may need to think again before going all out to bring in the likes of Sarr, a man who’s at his best on the counter and has scored just 27 goals in 116 games at Premier League level.
Equally, too, an already light midfield unit has been depleted even further following the sale of Curtis Jones to Inter Milan, with Sunday’s trip to Tyneside showcasing that the balance simply isn’t right as things stand.
|
Sarr – Record Against ‘Big Six’ |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Club |
Games |
Goals (Assists) |
|
Arsenal |
10 |
2 (1) |
|
Chelsea |
5 |
0 (0) |
|
Liverpool |
10 |
7 (2) |
|
Man City |
8 |
0 (1) |
|
Man Utd |
9 |
2 (1) |
|
Spurs |
5 |
2 (1) |
|
Total |
47 |
13 (6) |
|
Aston Villa |
8 |
8 (3) |
Yes, Iraola may wish to put faith in Trey Nyoni and James McConnell, yet with a long season ahead, the lack of depth and senior experience could come back to bite.
Indeed, rather than being forced to pay over the odds for a 28-year-old Sarr, why not make a more long-term investment in the midfield instead?
The Coutinho-esque signing Liverpool could hand to Iraola
The Reds haven’t exactly found it easy recruiting midfielders in recent years, notably missing out on Moises Caicedo to Chelsea in 2023, while also failing to get a deal over the line for Martin Zubimendi a year later.
Of course, Arne Slot repurposed Ryan Gravenberch as a number six to great effect in 2024/25, yet with Alexis Mac Allister enduring a muted year or so, a changing of the guard is needed.
There have long been links to Sarr’s Palace teammate, Adam Wharton, but it might actually be another rising English talent who proves the better fit for Iraola.
As per The Independent’s Miguel Delaney, Liverpool’s top target in defensive midfield is Bournemouth’s Alex Scott, the 22-year-old having thrived under the Spaniard on the south coast.
The sticking point is said to be FSG’s reluctance to meet the Cherries’ asking price, believed to be north of £90m, ensuring a deal may have to be halted until next summer.
As Delaney points out, however, they may not have time to waste, considering Chelsea are also sniffing around, the Blues having seen a bid rejected for Scott already this summer.
The playmaker’s prior work under Iraola is a real bonus, but there’s far more reason to be excited about what the ex-Bristol City man offers in that deep-lying midfield role.
He’s not a conventional defensive midfielder, it must be said, but he’s so combative out of possession, ranking in the top 18% of midfielders in Europe’s big five leagues last term for recoveries made per 90, as well as in the top 10% for clearances made inside the area.
Most notably, he ranked in the top 5% for xThreat prevented, essentially highlighting his knack for snuffing out the danger in front of the back four and minimising the threat of the opposition.
It’s on the ball where he really flourishes, however, almost Philippe Coutinho-esque in the manner in which he manoeuvres his body around the pitch, mirroring the fleet-footed Brazilian as another balletic, graceful talent.
Coutinho, of course, did his best work in a more advanced role, but he did also feature as part of a midfield three under Jurgen Klopp, running the show as he sought to get on the ball at every available opportunity.
Scott – affectionately dubbed the ‘Guernsey Grealish’ – is cut from a similar cloth, with it no surprise that he ranks in the top 7% of midfielders for deep carries made per 90, as well as in the top 15% for progressive passes per 90.
A carry is considered progressive if the ball is moved towards the opponent’s goal at least 10 yards from its starting point or is carried into the penalty area.
He can wiggle his way out of danger so effectively, boasting the ability to glide his way through the midfield from deep in order to get his team on the front foot.
His goal at the Emirates late last season was also evidence of what he can offer when he gets into the final third too, producing a delightful, sweeping finish that Coutinho would certainly be proud of.
Once Scott gets going, he is incredibly difficult to stop, with it no surprise that he was fouled 1.5 times per game on average last season, the same record as Coutinho in his final period at Anfield in 2017/18.
Perhaps a new midfielder doesn’t fit the plan for FSG as things stand, but if the opportunity is there to pounce, the Merseysiders need to take it.
