There have been many winners from Liverpool’s change to a new system, Trent Alexander-Arnold of course chief among them. Curtis Jones too has thrived in a different role, while Mohamed Salah’s five-in-five goal-scoring streak is no coincidence.

But the change has brought with it losers too, perhaps most notably left-back Andy Robertson. The Scotsman has seen his offensive wings clipped, and some of his defensive limitations exposed.

Robertson has been asked to defend as a left-sided center-back, moving inside to help cover for Alexander-Arnold as he steps into midfield.

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Against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, he struggled badly, leaving Harry Kane unmarked for the visitor’s first goal and very nearly gifting another when he lost the ball to Dejan Kulusevski in the very same spell.

Some have questioned where the Scotsman, one of the stalwarts of the Jürgen Klopp era, figures going forward, and whether he truly fits into this new set-up. The role isn’t tailored to his strengths.

Fortunately, there are a couple of potential solutions for Liverpool in the transfer market.

The first of these revolves around Ajax defender Jurriën Timber. According to Sky Germany (via Football 365), Liverpool is competing with Manchester United for the signing of the Dutchman, who’s valued at around $55m (£44m/€50m).

Timber, who said recently that ‘his transfer is getting closer’, seemingly wants to leave Amsterdam after agreeing to ‘stay for one more season’ last summer (via FourFourTwo).

The 21-year-old has operated as a right-sided center-half for Ajax this season, with Calvin Bassey typically to his left and Devyne Rensch to his right.

Intriguingly, though, he also has experience of different defensive roles, having played as a right-back 49 times during his club career, as per Transfermarkt, and featured on the right of a three for the Netherlands.

We saw this at the World Cup at the end of last year, with Timber positioned next to Virgil van Dijk in Louis van Gaal’s backline.

Matthijs de Ligt of Bayern Munich initially got the nod but he publicly admitted that Timber, who replaced him from matchday two until the quarter-final against eventual champion Argentina, was better suited to the role (via Telegraaf).

De Ligt didn’t like ‘playing as a right-back’ at times, with the RCB forced to cover for Denzel Dumfries, who often joined the attack, but Timber was much more accustomed to defending in wide areas.

Jurriën Timber is one of the players who could solve a new Andy Robertson problem for Liverpool

(Image: Photo by NESimages/Raymond Smit/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)

This offers us a glimpse of how things could work at Anfield. The system would have to change a little, with Alexander-Arnold committing to a midfield role rather than starting as a right-back.

Timber would fill the gap on paper, and then form a three with Van Dijk and Ibrahima Konaté in possession, allowing Robertson to push up on the left-hand side.

One of the big concerns around the Ajax man is his height — he’s only 5ft 10in tall and ranks as low as the fifth percentile for aerial duel success percentage (via FBRef). But playing in a back three with more dominant players, and operating wider, would minimize that weakness and maximize his strengths.

The other option for Liverpool would be to maintain the current system, but involve a sacrifice.

The Reds could recruit a center-back who’s also capable of operating as a left-back, and that player could then rotate with Robertson depending on the characteristics of each opponent. Against stronger teams, a more conservative approach may be necessary.

The prospect of a world-class player like Robertson sitting on the bench is far from a palatable one, but Liverpool might need to make some tough decisions to get back to the top.

In an ideal world, Liverpool could bring in Joško Gvardiol from RB Leipzig, a player admired and monitored by senior recruitment staff at Anfield (via The Athletic).

The interest in the Croatian, who would likely cost in the region of $125m/£100m/€113m (via The Telegraph), makes more sense now that Klopp has switched things up.

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Almost the mirror image of Timber, Gvardiol is a predominant center-back who also has knowledge of the left-back position (36 games).

He would start as an LB at Anfield and then tuck in more comfortably to the LCB role when Alexander-Arnold stepped into midfield.

The 21-year-old doesn’t possess the same attacking instincts, and is a more adept defender.

However, his price tag puts the transfer beyond the realms of realism and, in all likelihood, into the realms of fantasy, so Liverpool probably would have to find another player in the same mold.

The focus for Klopp this summer is bound to be on the midfield, but if he is to embrace this new system moving forward, the Reds must recruit the defensive personnel to suit it too.

For the most part, Liverpool has coped without a controller in its midfield department over the past decade. Throughout Jürgen Klopp’s tenure on Merseyside, he’s selected midfielders who are primarily associated with intensity, industry, energy and defensive security.

Jordan Henderson, James Milner and Fabinho are examples of the stereotypical Reds midfielder, with Gini Wijnaldum also fitting the mold despite his attempts to become a makeshift controller towards the end of his time at Anfield. The Dutchman was replaced by a man who dictates matches for fun in Thiago Alcântara, but there has been one major problem attached to his transfer.

Simply put, the two-time Champions League winner hasn’t been on the pitch enough since joining from Bayern Munich in the summer of 2020. The Spanish international is an expert when it comes to adding a degree of composure and coolness to Klopp’s turbulent engine room, but he’s prone to picking up frustrating injuries.

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Now aged 32, Thiago looks destined to be out for the rest of the campaign after the recurrence of an issue with his hip. Liverpool has five games remaining before the Premier League season is wrapped up, but will have to navigate those games without a cultured orchestrator in the mold of Thiago.

Once the final bout has been concluded at the end of this month, players will be released for their summer holidays as they attempt to recover before going again in August. Klopp won’t be afforded much time to relax, however, as the German coach will dedicate most of his time towards overseeing a squad overhaul of sorts.

With Milner, Naby Keïta and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain likely to leave Liverpool once their contracts expire in the coming months, the Reds will have to replace them. Jude Bellingham was originally deemed to be Klopp’s first-choice target, but it seems the boss has accepted defeat due to the sizeable transfer fee that Borussia Dortmund would demand for its prized asset.

Liverpool is in the market for alternatives right now, and according to The Times, Alexis Mac Allister ranks near the top of the club’s shortlist. The Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder has experienced a promising campaign on the south coast, and he now seems ready to move.

Alexis Mac Allister could be the ideal Thiago heir for Liverpool.

(Image: Photo by Eddie Keogh – The FA/The FA via Getty Images)

In fact, the father of the World Cup winner, Carlos, talked up a departure just a few months ago. In an interview with ESPN Argentina, as quoted by 90min, he said: “Clubs are starting to call us for Alexis, but there are no concrete talks now. We’ll decide together with Brighton, they deserve respect. We will pick the best project, based on the coach too. It’s not about money.”

Aged just 24, Mac Allister is technical and refined when on the ball. He is rarely flustered regardless of where he’s deployed, demonstrating an ability to play in deeper or advanced areas, having occupied a variety of different roles under Roberto De Zerbi and Graham Potter before him.

Speaking to ESPN recently, the Argentine international said: “I can play as a six, as an eight or as a 10. As a six, maybe I touch more balls. The last couple of games, I play a more advanced role and I feel really good. There I have the opportunity to score more goals.”

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Mac Allister almost depicts shades of İlkay Gündoğan, who is now at Manchester City but played under Klopp when the pair represented Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga. Aside from Thiago, it is reasonable to suggest that Gündoğan was the last true controller who offered calm amongst Klopp’s chaos.

With Thiago now sidelined until next season while also being likely to depart in 2024 once his contract expires, Mac Allister could become an unlikely heir to his throne. The South American certainly isn’t a carbon copy, but he does offer similar perks in terms of control, composure and technical mastery.

“He can demand rhythm,” Klopp once said about Thiago, and Mac Allister can do the same.