Liverpool's long-term defensive midfield solution may be right under their nose
Liverpool are satisfied with their current holding midfield options, even if the jury arguably remains out beyond Anfield’s walls.
The Reds sold Fabinho and Jordan Henderson in the summer following unexpected interest from Saudi Arabia, with Wataru Endo brought in as a senior number six from VfB Stuttgart after moves for Moises Caicedo, Romeo Lavia, and Andre Trindade had been unsuccessful.
Yet the Japan international has endured a slow start to his Liverpool career, starting just once in the Premier League, while he was withdrawn at half-time in Thursday’s 3-2 defeat to Toulouse after a disappointing display. The evidence so far would suggest that Endo is nothing more than a squad option, with the 30-year-old hardly fitting into the Reds’ traditional preferred profile of signing.
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Alexis Mac Allister has instead predominantly lined up as Liverpool’s deeper option, despite it not being the Argentina international’s favoured position, with his performances in the role unsurprisingly being inconsistent and at times unconvincing. Elsewhere, Trent Alexander-Arnold is an option for the position, while Stefan Bajcetic is feeling his way back from long-term injury after a breakthrough campaign last year.
Consequently, despite Fabinho and Henderson’s struggles in the Reds’ engine room last year, there remains an air of uncertainty regarding the club’s deeper options. The fact that Endo struggled at Toulouse, Mac Allister is suspended for Sunday’s home clash with Brentford, and Liverpool travel to Man City immediately after the November international
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