“LIVERPOOL”legend believes club are about to make January transfer mistake so saga,sky pundit says klopp made a great mistake that we damage LIVERPOOL 

“LIVERPOOL”legend believes club are about to make January transfer mistake so saga,sky pundit says klopp made a great mistake that we damage LIVERPOOL

Steve Nicol thinks that Liverpool are in need of a defensive midfielder in the January transfer window

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ByJames QuinlanSport Trends Writer
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Alexis Mac Allister and Wataru Endo have been Liverpool’s go-to defensive midfield options this season (Image: Florencia Tan Jun – UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)
Steve Nicol feels his former club Liverpool would be setting themselves up for failure if they do not sing a central defensive midfielder in January.

Jurgen Klopp rejuvenated the problem area of his squad that was the midfield over the summer with four signings. What he perhaps did not expect to happen though was the departure of Fabinho to Saudi Arabia.

Once it was clear the Brazilian was on the move the club made moves to sign Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia, who both ended up at Chelsea following a brief tussle. Eventually the money was used to recruit a surprise, experienced option in Wataru Endo, 30, and a long-term box-to-box target Ryan Gravenberch, 21.

READ MORE: Liverpool face major decisions behind scenes with seven contract calls to make

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Endo is more accustomed to the deeper midfield role, though has slowly been adjusting to the English game, leading Klopp to so far hand the torch to earlier summer arrival Alexis Mac Allister – a natural No.10 – as he did with Curtis Jones on occasion toward the end of last season.

Given the fact Liverpool are sitting one point behind Premier League leaders Manchester City – who they face next – it would be fair to say there have been no major issues yet. However, to get the best out of his options the growing consensus would be for Klopp to add a younger defensive midfielder to his ranks, so that Fabinho’s shoes can be filled for years to come, his other options benefit and ultimately to alleviate any injury stresses.

Still, the ECHO understands there is no urgent desire to recruit such a player in the upcoming window with 19-year-old Stefan Bajcetic on the comeback trail from injury – a stance that club legend Nicol disagrees with.

“If they can get somebody beside the two of them [Dominik Szoboszlai and Mac Allister] they can just take a step further forward,” the former full-back said on the ESPN FC podcast. “Right now I don’t know [who that could be], I don’t have anyone.

“I used to think [Sofyan] Amrabat would be the right one beside them, but at United it’s not quite working out. I thought initially he would be ideal – he could sit just behind the two of them and let them do more going forward.

“But I don’t think Endo’s the answer and I don’t think Jones is the answer. Right now I think Liverpool need to be on the lookout for somebody.”

Copa Libertadores winner Andre Trindade was most heavily linked before the Reds stance became public knowledge, and since then there have been other shouts for the Brazilian and Genoa’s Morten Frendrup.

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Man Utd presented with surprise swap deal opportunity as PSG ‘ready January move’
Man Utd could get a dream swap deal in the January transfer window.
By SAM SMITH
PUBLISHED: 05:10, Thu, Nov 16, 2023
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Man Utd star Anthony Martial could attract interest from PSG in January (Image: Getty)
Manchester United could be presented with a shock January swap deal involving striker Anthony Martial. Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain are reportedly eyeing a move for the Red Devils flop amid his struggles in the Premier League.

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It is claimed that the 27-year-old is of interest to the Parisians as they attempt to inject more homegrown talent into their squad. Martial could be available in the winter window having been demoted to second-choice centre-forward at Old Trafford.

Rasmus Hojlund’s £72million arrival at United could spell the end for Martial, who has scored just 18 top-flight goals since the start of the 2020-21 season. The Red Devils reportedly hope that the former Monaco man agrees to a January move.

United are fielding interest in the Frenchman and PSG are reportedly among the parties keen on a deal. According to TeamTalk, Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid also harbour an interest in signing the player.

DON’T MISS… Man Utd could be left with just two players Ronaldo thought were ‘top pros’ [LATEST]

Man Utd have previously been linked with PSG defender Nordi Mukiele (Image: Getty)

There is allegedly hope that a departure would allow United to bolster their forward line in the winter window. However, United could use discussions with PSG chiefs to strike a player-exchange agreement for defender Nordi Mukiele.

United were widely linked with the 26-year-old in the summer transfer window but failed to complete a transfer. The failure to offload Harry Maguire or Raphael Varane meant that a defensive overhaul had to be postponed, with a rejig of Erik ten Hag’s midfield of a higher priority.

PSG signed Mukiele from Red Bull Leipzig in the summer of 2022 but the France international has struggled for game time. He has started just twice in Ligue 1 this season, appearing for a total of 205 top-flight minutes.

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Man Utd boss Erik ten Hag might welcome stronger options at right-back (Image: Getty)
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A hamstring injury limited Mukiele’s impact during his first season at PSG. Having returned to full fitness, though, it seems that the right-back finds himself playing second-fiddle to Achraf Hakimi.

United are desperate for an upgrade in that position. Ten Hag has never seemed truly convinced by Aaron Wan-Bissaka nor Diogo Dalot, who both have glaring limitations.

Mukiele’s form with Leipzig, which earned him his move to PSG 18 months ago, should be enough to prove that he can replace United’s current right-back options. The Red Devils may therefore choose to discuss a swap deal with the French champions.

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