Liverpool push ahead with plans to sign third midfielder after announcing Szoboszlai transfer
Liverpool will push ahead with their plans to sign another midfielder this summer after the club announced the signing of Dominik Szoboszlai.
The 22-year-old attacking midfielder becomes Liverpool’s second summer signing, following a deal for Alexis Mac Allister.
The Reds were in desperate need of a midfield overhaul and the additions of Szoboszlai and Mac Allister will massively boost Liverpool.
With their first two signings through the door, Jurgen Klopp will now be turning his attention to their next midfield target.
Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia has been a player of interest for quite some time and Liverpool have been backed to sign him ahead of Chelsea.
“The top six clubs, all of them have been monitoring him and they’ve shown, at various stages, different levels of interest,” Jacob Tanswell of The Athletic told Empire of the Kop.
“Southampton want a high figure for him. Obviously, City have got the buy-back clause, so someone has got to pay around £45 million to £50 million.
“I’d probably say you’re either looking at Liverpool or Chelsea. For me, I’d probably think Liverpool. With Jurgen Klopp and the background they’ve done on him, that probably looks like the likely destination.”
Lavia would add a different dynamic to the Liverpool midfield and would offer some extra defensive cover.
The 19-year-old won 2.1 tackles per game for Southampton last season and impressed on the whole, despite being relegated.
A player like Lavia would be a worthy understudy to Fabinho and he would immediately push for a place in the starting 11.
Along with targeting Lavia, Liverpool are also tracking the likes of Khephren Thuram and Ryan Gravenberch.
Klopp is keen to add a defensively-minded midfielder to his ranks who will complement the likes of Mac Allister and Szoboszlai.
The Reds had plenty of defensive issues last season and had it not been for Alisson, they would have conceded considerably more goals.
Klopp’s side conceded 47 goals in the league last season, which was more than any other side that finished in the top five.
For content, that’s 21 more goals than they conceded in the 2021-22 campaign which highlights their defensive vulnerability.
Signing a defensive midfielder should aid Klopp in improving the defensive structure of his side.
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