Liverpool are waiting for this nightmare to end, returning to last season’s form under the wing of Arne Slot that led to the Premier League title and a summer of radical change.
The signings made this summer were finalized after meticulous research, but the Reds have nevertheless been dismal this year, lacking identity and inspiration. Even in victory, Liverpool gave their opponents a lot of optimism.
It is worth noting that Liverpool have been much better defensively than has often been the case this season, but that has done little to ease the concerns of supporters who have been forced to accept a grim new normal.
Among the bitter pills swallowed is the form of captain Virgil van Dijk, the centre-back at the heart of Liverpool’s problems this season and who lacks the solutions so often provided during his illustrious career at the club.
Virgil van Dijk’s decline this season
The Liverpool monster has been made mortal by the collapse of the Slot system this season. Ibrahima Konaté’s struggles have undoubtedly been exacerbated by the slow decline of Van Dijk’s indomitable side.
He is 34 years old, 35 at the end of the season. It is completely natural that the Dutch skipper begins to give up. However, it presents Michael Edwards and sporting director Richard Hughes with a real conundrum as Konate moves closer to the expiration of his £70,000-a-week contract.
Liverpool signed Giovanni Leoni from Parma for around £27 million this summer, but the 18-year-old Italian tore his ACL on his debut against Southampton and is not expected to return until the start of next season.
The Italian would have provided much-needed dimension in recent months, allowing Slot to impose more rotation, with Konate having started every one of his side’s Premier League matches this season despite their rut. Van Dijk now sinks alongside him.
A change is needed and, with the winter transfer window approaching, it is clear that Liverpool need a central defender.
Liverpool target central defender in January
Liverpool are expected to make a bid for Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi this winter, according to TEAMtalk, after reopening direct communications this week with the player’s agents after reaching an agreement to sign him in August.
Guehi is out of contract at Selhurst Park at the end of the season, and although Liverpool had a clear chance at the 25-year-old at the start of the season, including agreeing personal terms with the player, rival interest is now sure to be thick, with Bayern Munich and Real Madrid seen as suitors.
Sources suggest FSG are prepared to offer around £25m for Guehi’s January signing, paying a premium for one of the Premier League’s best centre-backs.
What Guehi would bring to Liverpool
Guehi might well be plying his trade for Liverpool right now, but that wasn’t the case as sporting director Richard Hughes played and left late, with Palace barring the door at the eleventh hour after failing to find a replacement.
It’s really a shame. Guehi is a seasoned Premier League star who continues to evolve. He was hailed as a “monster in defense” by Palace journalist Bobby Manzi, but he is much more.
According to the website FBref, Guehi ranks in the top 7% of central defenders in Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for deep passes, top 6% for assists and shot-creating actions, and top 15% for tackles won per 90.
Shot creation actions are gameplay elements that lead to a shot. These include moments such as a pass, a takeover or a foul committed.
If Liverpool manage to secure a deal for the two-footed centre-back this winter, it could carry the weight of this one-off signing from Van Dijk, who joined Southampton midway through the 2017/18 season for a fee of £75 million.
Van Dijk needs no introduction. He is one of the greatest defenders in Premier League history, a titan of the game.
He integrated himself into Jurgen Klopp’s exciting team and strengthened it with steel. He was the mortar that filled the cracks and created a super-team.
Big boots to fill, but Guehi has been heavily profiled and could emulate the Dutchman when he arrives mid-season, providing that much-desired relief.
After such incredible success in recent years, it is staggering that Liverpool have fallen below the expected level so far. It’s bordering on crisis, and one signing won’t stop the rot for good, but Guehi has the combative, confident defensive style to help get the Reds back on track, with his quality in the build-up something Konate simply doesn’t possess.
It’s a la Van Dijk, and given Guehi would arrive in January after previous attempts to sign him, it could have the much-needed echoes of this euphoric deal.
