Liverpool news: Jamie Carragher suggests midfield solution as Reds get Manu Kone advantage

Liverpool are already hard at work in the transfer market following the appointment of Jorg Schmadtke as their new sporting director, with Jurgen Klopp hoping to strengthen his side significantly this summer

Liverpool are interested in signing Manu Kone (

Image: Oliver Kaelke/DeFodi Images/REX/Shutterstock)

Liverpool are set for a major rebuild this summer following a disappointing campaign that saw them finish fifth in the Premier League and crash out of the Champions League in the last 16.

Roberto Firmino, James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are all set to depart Anfield when their contracts expire at the end of the month and manager Jurgen Klopp is looking to strengthen his squad in the transfer market.

Liverpool have already pulled out of the race for Borussia Dortmund and England star Jude Bellingham, but remain linked with a host of potential targets. Here is all the latest news involving Liverpool…

Liverpool’s Kone advantage

Liverpool’s new sporting director Jorg Schmadtke could give the Reds a major advantage in their pursuit of Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder Manu Kone.

Klopp is looking to strengthen his midfield this summer and Kone has been heavily linked with a switch to Anfield. And Liverpool could have an edge in negotiations with the Bundesliga side, with German publication Kicker claiming that Jorg’s son, Nils Schmadtke, is set to become Monchengladbach’s new sporting director.

Nils has previously worked for Monchengladbach as a scout and also worked alongside his father at Wolfsburg. And as a result, it appears any negotiations about Kone joining Liverpool are likely to be helped by the family links.

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Jamie Carragher believes Trent Alexander-Arnold should play as a midfielder

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Image:

PA)

Carragher suggests midfield solution

Jamie Carragher believes Trent Alexander-Arnold could be the solution to Liverpool’s midfield problems, having thrived in a new role this season that has seen him drop into midfield at times.

And Carragher believes Liverpool should sign a new right-back and solely utilise Alexander-Arnold as a midfielder. He told Redmen TV : “I think his body language when he’s in midfield, compared to when he’s just playing in defence, is completely different. Feels like I’m watching a different player.

“Some of the passes he plays, no matter who we buy, if we bought Bellingham, how much more could he do that TAA does in midfield. When Liverpool are on the ball, whoever you buy, whatever you spend, they can’t do more than Trent. I think another season I’d be of the mind, let’s buy a right-back and put him in midfield, because this kid is too good to not be the centre of this team.”

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Former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard looks set for a return to management

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The FA via Getty Images)

Gerrard lined up for Leeds job

Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard could be set for a return to management with Leeds United following their relegation to the Championship.

Gerrard was almost appointed after Jesse Marsch was sacked earlier this year, but he could now get the job as Leeds target an immediate return to the Premier League. The 43-year-old is immediately available after being axed by Aston Villa in October.

Gary McAllister, who was Gerrard’s assistant at Rangers and Villa, made almost 300 appearances for Leeds. McAllister was most notably part of Howard Wilkinson’s title winning side in 1992 in a midfield alongside David Batty, Gordon Strachan and Gary Speed.

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Liverpool proven right after beating Arsenal to free transfer who turned down Man City

Eyebrows were raised when James Milner turned down a new contract from Manchester City to join Brendan Rodgers’ Liverpool side.

Despite being wanted in North London by Arsenal, Milner opted for Anfield with the then Liverpool manager promising a more central midfield role.

The appeal of wanting to be part of ‘something special’ at Liverpool definitely came, but not under the manager he expected as Jurgen Klopp quickly landed on Merseyside.

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Milner was heavily pursued by the Gunners after he decided to opt against signing a lucrative new deal to remain at the Etihad Stadium, but it was Liverpool who caught the Yorkshireman’s eye.

The ex-City star was handed the famous number seven shirt at Anfield and went straight into a role as vice-captain. Milner had won two Premier League titles, the FA Cup and the League Cup with City, but he had eyes on Europe’s biggest prize – the Champions League.

Milner realised that dream in 2019, four years after joining the Reds, as he played a pivotal role in Klopp’s side lifting the Champions League in Madrid.

The former City man said upon arriving at Anfield in June 2015: “That’s a big thing for me coming to the later stages of my career – I’m not going to say the end of my career because I still feel I have plenty of football left in me! – I want to play as much football as I can.

“When I’m sat at 45 and retired, I want to look back and see what I’ve done and that I’ve played games, rather than having come to the end of my career and tailed off.

“Liverpool is a great fit for me as a club. It’s a huge club and there is a lot of pressure every time you step out onto that field. I’ve played in front of the Anfield crowd and it’ll be nice to be on the other side of the fans now.

“The atmosphere they create is fantastic and probably some of the best atmospheres I’ve played in in England, so to have them supporting me is definitely going to be an amazing feeling.”

Milner went on to win every major honour during his time at Anfield before departing the club after his contract expired eight years after making the move.

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