Real cataclysm not to see Liverpool in the Champions League next year. Absent from the competition for the first time since 2017, the Reds seemed to have a secure place as their project – like Manchester City – seemed ahead of the competition. However, last season which started with a resounding victory against the Sky Blues in the Community Shield (3-1) ended with a sigh of relief to grab a European place. This testifies to a real dark season for the Scousers. In this context, an active transfer window was expected from the English team which made a strong revolution.
Already, the end of the contracts of several executives have made things easier. Thus, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (still free) and Naby Keïta (Werder Bremen) paid for their too many injuries and were not retained. Now 37, James Milner has not returned and bounced back at Brighton while Roberto Firmino was one of the players to succumb to the sirens of Saudi Arabia. If we add Arthur Melo’s return from loan to Juventus, very quickly the idea of a reconstruction at the heart of the game made sense. It is in this context that the Reds drew straight away with the recruitment of Alexis MacAllister (24) from Brighton & Hove Albion for 42 million euros.
A breath of youth in Liverpool
With a new strongman to enter the 3-4-3 system set up by Jürgen Klopp at the end of the season (Alisson – Konaté, Van Dijk, Robertson – Henderson, Alexander-Arnold, Fabinho, Jones – Salah, Gakpo , Diaz) and able to take on the role of Curtis Jones, Liverpool were starting to offer the perfect material for the German manager’s ideas and it didn’t stop. Dropping no less than 70 million euros on Dominik Szoboszlai (22) to fill the role of Jordan Henderson, the Reds’ transformation continued. From then on, we entered the second phase of the transfer window with many leads, whether for the attack with Victor Osimhen (Naples), Federico Chiesa (Juventus) or Keito Nakamura (LASK) but also in the middle with Gabri Veiga (Celta ), Manu Koné (Borussia Mönchengladbach) and Khephren Thuram (Nice) for more or less concrete interests. Only one stands out and it is for the midfield, it is Roméo Lavia.
Excellent this season with Southampton despite the relegation of the Saints, the young Belgian is the subject of an intense fight between the Reds and Chelsea. His club are demanding around 55 million euros for the 19-year-old midfielder. For the defense, Liverpool are interested this time in Micky van de Veen (22). The Dutch central defender from Wolfsburg is also followed by Tottenham. Two possible new faces that combine well with Liverpool’s desire to bring more new blood into their collective. On the other hand, if arrivals are expected, new important departures are taking shape.
A dismantled midfielder
Last big trend of this transfer window, the departure of Fabinho on the side of Saudi Arabia and Al-Ittihad is confirmed as we have revealed to you. The 29-year-old Brazilian defensive midfielder could thus bring in no less than 45 million euros for Liverpool, who will not fail to reinvest this money to continue their transformation in the midfield. Still between Liverpool and Saudi Arabia, but this time at Al Ettifaq where Steven Gerrard has become a coach, it is captain Jordan Henderson who could be transferred. Despite historic status, Jordan Henderson is less and less untouchable and is in full hesitation for his future.
If this proposal interests him as much as he would find his predecessor in the captaincy of the Reds as coach, the midfielder first intends to speak with Jürgen Klopp. A probable departure, but not yet final therefore for the English international. To Jordan Henderson is added the third thief of the trio for the 2021/2022 season, namely Thiago Alcantara. For him the situation is different, because it is not forbidden for him to make his last year of contract with the Reds but the latter are not closed to a sale if ever someone offers around 20 million euros. For the moment nothing concrete emerges, but that could evolve over the weeks. Whether in terms of arrivals or departures, Liverpool is having a very active summer. To see if this tactic will pay off next season…
