Although an array of first-team stars are unavailable through injuries, covid crisis and AFCON, Liverpool are unlikely to rope in new names this winter. However, they are exploring options for summer to strengthen themselves in the centre of the pitch and according to the ever-reliable David Ornstein of The Athletic, Monaco’s Aurelien Tchouameni has been identified as one of the candidates following his rapid rise in the Ligue 1 surroundings.
But the Reds are not alone in the race with Manchester United expected to rival their bitter rivals for the 21-year-old France international. The Red Devils, too, are aiming for squad overhaul after a disastrous run of results and the transfer battle is expected to intensify upon the closure of the current term.
Tchouameni progressed through the youth ranks of Bordeaux before breaking into their senior side back in July 2018. He played 37 times for Les Girondins before plying his trade to Monaco a couple of years ago. An amount of around €20m was enough to secure his services in January 2020 and the player eventually grabbed a starting status with 73 ASM appearances up until the present time across competitions [stats via Transfermarket]. He has represented France at various age levels prior to his senior debut last September.
Liverpool, on paper, are well equipped in the middle of the park in spite of not bringing in a like-for-like replacement of Georginio Wijnaldum. 18-year-old Harvey Elliott has emerged as a first-team regular, whereas the likes of Jordan Henderson, Fabinho, Thiago Alcantara, Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, James Milner and Curtis Jones are also there to slot in a three-man midfield set-up.
Why Liverpool Require Midfield Reinforcement
Having said that, Jurgen Klopp has been forced to promote teenage academy prodigy Tyler Morton due to the persistent fitness concerns of some of his stars. Keita, Thiago and Jones have struggled to stay fit so far this season, also a horrific ankle injury picked up in September ruled Elliott out for months. 36-year-old Milner is no more capable of featuring week in week out and the pressure, therefore, has been immense of Fabinho for being the only outright ‘number 6’ option.
Despite firing in five goals and setting up four more in Monaco colours, the Les Bleus sensation prefers to operate as a deep-lying playmaker from the base of a ‘midfield three’. He is also comfortable as the double pivot if a 4-2-3-1 is preferred and the young Frenchman would challenge and cover the Selecao international if a move to Merseyside takes place in the forthcoming future.
