Liverpool linked to Argentine midfielder as transfer plan for the club emerges

Last summer's transfer window was a wild ride for Liverpool, as the club searched desperately to add a new defensive midfielder after Fabinho's departure to Al-Ittihad. For moments of that summer, it seemed like the Reds were the frontrunners to sign Romeo Lavia from Southampton and Moises Caicedo from Brighton.

Ultimately, their fight with Chelsea to sign either of the players ended when Todd Boehly coughed up the money to sign both midfielders.

As fate would have it, Wataru Endo, who Liverpool ultimately signed as a stop-gap midfielder, became a solid addition to the squad.

At the same time, Romeo Lavia played just 32 minutes this season for Chelsea, and Caicedo failed to live up to his £115 million transfer fee, albeit he was still good.

With the next summer transfer window around the corner, a big question is whether Liverpool will return to the market for a defensive midfielder.

Alexis Mac Allister was tasked with being the deep-lying midfielder for much of this past season, but the Argentine's best work in midfield is done when someone else plays behind him in the middle of the park.

Liverpool linked to Argentine midfielder as transfer plan for the club emerges

So, could Liverpool add a new midfielder this summer to compete with Endo and push Mac Allister out of that defensive role altogether?

Argentine journalist Leo Paradizo reports that along with Bayern Munich and Manchester City, Liverpool have registered their interest in Porto midfielder Alan Varela.

Boca Juniors, Varela's club before Porto, has a reported sell-on clause for the midfielder.

After four seasons with Boca Juniors in Argentina, Varela moved to Portugal last summer, linking up with FC Porto.

While the club had a less-than-impressive league campaign, Varela established himself as a regular starter under Sergio Conceicao.

The 22-year midfielder showed strong signs of having the potential to step up to a top-five league very soon.

However, a report from Liverpool journalist David Lynch suggests that the Reds are extremely unlikely to be able to add a defensive midfielder without someone else departing, irrespective of Thiago departing from the midfield.

If that's true, Endo is unlikely to leave as he's only just joined. Everyone else in the midfield is unlikely to leave because they're extremely important to the squad. So, perhaps Varela is one for the future and less about pushing for a summer move now.

Should Liverpool add a defensive midfielder this summer?