Liverpool could see bid accepted for £50m ‘machine’

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot is stuck between a rock and a hard place after Mohamed Salah’s extraordinary outburst following the Reds’ 3-3 draw with Leeds United at Elland Road.

After trailing 2-0 after the hour mark, Liverpool succumbed to a recurrence of shaky defending and weak mentalities, and Salah’s comments were fueled by frustration after sitting on the bench for the third game in a row, this time without taking the pitch at all.

But the Egyptian striker’s invectives distracted from the latest misfortunes of Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk, with the former making another mistake and the collapse of the captain’s confidence and composure laid bare – even more so – this weekend.

Pundit Jamie Redknapp believes the centre-backs are ‘playing like they’ve never met before’, and it’s crucial Slot finds a way to solve this problem which threatens to swallow the Premier League champions whole.

Liverpool need to fix their defense

With Liverpool’s star defenders flattering to deceive, it’s only natural that FSG would consider signing a new man this winter. This botched deal for Marc Guehi at the end of the summer transfer window continues to look more detrimental to Slot and Liverpool’s season.

The need for a central defender is great, but Liverpool’s midfield has been well below standard this season, and a robust, physical strength could pay dividends in Slot’s plan to restore balance and make his team more compact, harder to play against.

According to Football Insider, Atalanta’s Ederson has been named as a candidate, with FSG told they could complete a deal for the 26-year-old in January.

A bid worth £50million could do the trick. Liverpool have the facilities for such an offer, and it is one they must make to stop this disastrous crisis.

What Ederson would offer Liverpool

Slot is a man on the brink. What only a few months ago looked like the foundations of a dynasty could now collapse like a house of cards, with so much going wrong at Anfield.

In isolation, Ryan Gravenberch has not been poor this season, but he has struggled to combine with Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai and create a balanced and effective central unit.

It’s one of many issues Slot has yet to find an answer for, and if he wants to restore Liverpool’s balance and allow the centre-backs to perform at their peak again, it may be a central midfielder who needs to be signed.

Ederson could be the right man for the job. Journalist Carlo Garganese described the Brazilian as a midfield “machine” when Gian Piero Gasperini led Atalanta to the Europa League title, ending Bayer Leverkusen’s historic unbeaten run.

The South American striker packs a bigger punch than any of Liverpool’s current midfield options, and he is also mobile and balanced in his midfield performance, ranking in the top 8% of midfielders in Serie A this season for pass completions, top 15% for progressive passes and top 5% for ball recoveries per 90, according to FBref.

He is a combative, ground-covering midfielder, and his drive to progress through the game could see him provide the covering Liverpool’s defense needs to turn things around, helping to cover Konate’s weakness in the build-up and providing legs to ensure Van Dijk, 34, can settle into his defensive berth.

Italian content creator Damiano Coccia even claimed that Ederson is “the strongest defensive midfielder in the world”, so it’s clear to see why he would be such a brilliant addition to a poor Anfield team.

Against Leeds, Van Dijk and Konate combined for an abject second half, and he was exactly the type of player who would stop the rot and bring Liverpool back into the ascendancy.

His athleticism and hard tackling nature would help Van Dijk and Konate return to form.

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