Liverpool have brought in four new midfielders this summer as they eventually did completely overhaul things in the center of the park. Some familiar faces departed to complete the swap. We now take a far too early rankings gauging how good they can be for the club. Let’s dive in!
1. Dominik Szoboszlai – Based on early returns to this point, Szoboszlai is going to be high up on a lot of rankings lists this season. Normally only a pure attacking midfielder that dabbled on the wing, his early days at Anfield have shown he can be so much more.
His box-to-box work rate has been outstanding to see and his ability to get stuck into tackles and throwing himself in front of shots has been a super unexpected bonus.
This still has not hampered him going forward as he has won penalties, smoked long shots and puts dangerous balls into the box from most set-pieces. All in all, he looks to be an incredible talent and a super signing.
2. Alexis Mac Allister – It’s interesting to rank these players as Mac Allister has spent his early days playing out of position in a deeper role.
Even as such he has still looked the part of a composed and technical footballer. His passing vision and range have been on display as he has proven to be tremendous at controlling the pace of play.
Going forward, with the opportunity to play further up the pitch, we will see his dynamic attacking side that he showed while at Brighton.
For now, you can see he is going to be a rock solid asset that won’t make a lot of key mistakes from the middle. His ability to make those around him even better should also elevate the likes of Cody Gakpo and Darwin Nunez.
3. Ryan Gravenberch – Is it hard to have a player who hasn’t played a minute yet in the rankings? Sure. But we like to be predictive as well so this is based on what we expect from the talented Dutchman.
His ability to play in any version of the 6, 8 or 10 roles will make him a sensational weapon for Jurgen Klopp to deploy on a weekly basis.
He also could play the role of box-to-box stamina monster that would allow Dominik to put even more effort into the attack.
It’ll be interesting to see if Klopp uses Gravenberch in the defensive midfield spot more often than not. He has shown, both at club and international level, that he is more than comfortable cleaning up things in front of the defense.
How quickly he adapts to the system and new league will be crucial in his early development.
4. Wataru Endo – Rounding out our rankings list is the Japan Captain. While he was acquired after the Caicedo and Lavia nightmares for a bargain price, he could still offer substance.
He lacks the dynamism of the above three but he brings a solidity that should not be overlooked.
At 30, he has seen a lot of miles and knows where to be at the right time. His early performances have been overshadowed by red cards so it’s hard to gauge his feel for the system.
If he is used as a starting No. 6 against lesser opposition and in the domestic cups, I would be okay with that. Facing heavier teams though should see him come on in the second half to calm things down and maintain a midfield presence.
Ideally, we hope all four of these players soar up rankings boards across the web. This could all be subject to change, but for now, it looks like a more than adequate midfield revamp is underway. Let’s see where it ends up.