I don’t think we’re ‘finished’ with our evolution in the middle of the park. We might still put it aside for now, but I think we’ll be looking to add more quality at some point.
Gravenberch has been a very positive move this season, but we’ve still seen in some games a lack of more control. We haven’t discovered a new continent with that move.
That being said, since we’re mostly in a double pivot now, partnerships also have to make sense. For example, not sure if Zubi and Mac together would be a good fit. Perhaps too slow for this league. Or perhaps just what we need?
Think Endo and Morton will be gone in the summer and I feel it might be hard for Bajcetic to make it here.
Our current midfield is really good, but it can be improved. Sometimes when teams come at us we still lose a bit of control and bite in the middle. For example, Man Utd (the frauds) got plenty of change against us on Sunday.
I would be very happy with Tchouameni. He has lost his way a little bit as he is down the pecking order at Real Madrid, but presumably that would be reflected in a fee being more in the 40M and not the 80M range?
There’s still a very good player there and he would add a bit more security in our midfield.
I have a lot of time for Endo, as he has never let us down and always gives his all. Still, it does not seem like Slot rates him that much, so I expect he would make way.
Another window, another recycling of “guy who has turned down liverpool once to sign for Real and plays every game when fit may actually be interested in a move to Liverpool now” story
Can’t really see it happening, but I don’t think him turning down Liverpool once would be a barrier. I seem to remember Salah knocking us back for Chelsea, and Gravenberch choosing Bayern over us when he left Ajax.
Once you are on Liverpool’s list you don’t come off it (unless you turn out to be shit)
I think we do need to look at a midfielder this window, and would look at moving on Morton and Endo to make room. Slot has shown very little inclination to use either of them even when desperate.
We’ve just had Szoboszlai missing with illness and Slot didn’t have a midfield move he could make when it was clearly not working against Utd.
Gravenberch, Jones, Szoboszlai, Mac Allister, Elliot and one more at the level of Tchoumeni or Zubimendi would be a fine pool.
Bit of both. I think we were offering 12 and Chelsea came in with 15 very late in the day, when he was on the verge of signing. He could have dug his heels in and made it clear he wanted us and a compromise would have been reached, but he signed for them very quickly once their bid went in. I think we’d done a lot of work on the deal before Chelsea swooped in, and we weren’t impressed that he blew out like that.
Konoplyanka was done, but the owner (who didn’t want to sell) demanded we pay in a currency that FIFA doesn’t allow or something and it just ran out of time while we were arguing.
He’s also not had 1 start in 13 league/CL games he’s been available for. Barely sees longer than 10mins on the pitch when he does come on. It’s not entirely inconceiveable to prematurely think perhaps he just isn’t Arne’s type?
