Everyone Wants a Six

Ever since Fabinho left Liverpool last summer fans have been desperate for a new holding midfielder to come to Anfield.

Wataru Endo has filled some of the Brazilian’s void, Alexis Mac Allister has also done a commendable job as a six. However, it’s clear there is still a need for Liverpool to recruit someone as the club’s long-term option in that role.

Although, that is easier said than done. While Michael Edwards and his recruitment team will be eager to find the right solution there aren’t a lot of options on the market for Liverpool at the moment.

What Do Liverpool Want in a Holding Midfielder?

If Arne Slot will deploy the same system as he did at Feyenoord, the role of Liverpool’s holding midfielder will not deviate too much from what they were asked to do under Jurgen Klopp.

Slot may have often used a double pivot at Feyenoord, but that double pivot always saw a more advanced midfielder as well as a more defensively disciplined midfielder as well.

The defensive role was often played by Mats Wiefer in Slot’s system – whose numbers were very similar to Fabinho as I highlighted in a previous piece for Anfield Index.

Essentially, what Liverpool will want from their holding midfielder is someone who will compete in a lot of duels, cover a lot of ground and anticipate danger by making a high volume of interceptions.

On the ball, the player will also need to be able to evade pressure and progress the ball into dangerous territories.

What’s the Market Like?

It sounds simple, but in the current holding midfield market there are few players who actually satisfy that criteria or have a sufficient sample size to warrant interest.

Last season, Liverpool targeted Cheick Doucoure, who ticked several boxes but in the end were priced out of Crystal Palace’s £70m valuation. He would cost a lot less now. However, he’s only just recovered from an achilles tendon rupture which ruled him out of action for over six month.

You don’t really want to sign a player who has just returned from a long-term injury – there are simply too many risks that would come with it.

But aside from Doucoure, who else could Liverpool turn to? The answer is not very simple. Especially if we take into account the age criteria.

Edwards doesn’t tend to sign players over the age of 26, which narrows Liverpool’s search even more.

Who Could Liverpool Target?

It’s not all doom and gloom. There are a few players who sort of fit the criteria of what Liverpool are looking for. However, none of them are a perfect fit – they are not what Fabinho’s arrival from Monaco was all those years ago.

All of them will come with an element of risk and question marks.

First of all I took a look at players in Ligue 1 where Fabinho arrived at Liverpool from to find his successor.

One of the players who profiles really well in terms of what Liverpool are looking for is Azor Matusiwa.

The 26 year old plays for Rennes in France and he’s just on the cusp of someone who would be regarded ‘too old’ for Liverpool’s transfer policy.

Matusiwa covers a lot of ground and he is a very disciplined defensive minded midfielder. Last season he averaged 7.34 possession-adjusted interceptions per 90 as per Wyscout and also won 61.42% of his defensive duels.

Another who could tick the box for Liverpool is Youssouf Fofana of AS Monaco. Like Matusiwa, Fofana covers a lot of ground and he is also very composed bringing the ball out from the back. He is also on the older side at 25 years old.

Last but not least Nice’s 25 year old midfielder, Youssouf Ndayishimiye, is another one who fits into the profile and who could be on Liverpool’s radar.

Who Else Could Liverpool Go For?

Away from Ligue 1 a popular destination for Liverpool has been Red Bull clubs and there is one player in Lucas Gourna-Douath who could be an ideal fit. No midfielder averaged more possession adjusted interceptions (10.66 per 90) than him in the Austrian Bundesliga last season.

Gourna-Douath is excellent at covering a lot of ground but he is also composed in possession and averaged 9.28 progressive passes per 90 last season. Only 20 years old, he could be a smart purchase for Liverpool – albeit the step-up from the Austrian Bundesliga to the Premier League is a steep one.

Elsewhere, Florentino Luis and Joao Neves of Benfica could be further two profiles on Liverpool’s radar. The latter perhaps more so with Neves regarded as one of the most exciting young Portuguese talents, who is part of Portugal’s senior squad at Euro 2024 at just 19 years old.

Neves covers a lot of ground, reads the game astutely and is extremely technically gifted. There would be question marks in terms of whether he is ready for the step-up to the Premier League physically – he’s only 1.74 metres tall – and has won just 42% of his aerial duels in Portugal’s top flight last season.

In the German Bundesliga, Amadou Haidara’s profile is interesting. He can also plays as a box to box midfielder but has recently been playing a lot deeper and his numbers profile him as a good fit for Liverpool. But he’s already 26 years old and has struggled maintaining his fitness for several seasons – something that could deter the Reds.

Liverpool could of course also go in for Wieffer, who Slot will know well and who I’ve mentioned at the top of this article also fits the ideal holding midfield profile. But it would come with its risks. Few players have been able to make the grade in the Premier League after arriving directly from the Eredivisie in the last five years or so. Wieffer could be an outlier but there is no guarantee.

Which is why navigating around the holding midfield market presents such a difficult challenge for Edwards and his recruitment team this summer.