Liverpool were reported to have a six-man transfer shortlist last summer. We’ve taken a look back to see whether the Reds made the right decision to avoid them.
The rebuild of Jürgen Klopp’s midfield couldn’t have gone much better for Liverpool, having seemingly hit on all four acquisitions from last summer.
Alexis Mac Allister has turned out to be one of the signings of the transfer window, having added world-class quality for just $44m (£35m/€40m), while Wataru Endō is becoming the Anfield hero that only those in Japan or Stuttgart could have predicted.
From facing early disappointment as Real Madrid landed Jude Bellingham to outbidding Chelsea in a Moises Caicedo 24-hour auction — and then being turned down anyway — last summer’s transfer window had plenty of drama. But those two weren’t the only stars that Liverpool didn’t end up signing.
As reported by the Daily Mail, the Reds had compiled a six-player strong midfield shortlist in August as it looked to replace the outgoing Fabinho and Jordan Henderson, as well as James Milner and Naby Keïta.
Here, Liverpool.com takes a look back to see whether the Reds missed out on talented options or dodged a bullet by not making moves for the shortlisted players.
Khéphren Thuram
Interest was believed to be genuine in Nice midfielder Khéphren Thuram but talks never really got going for the France international. Much of the talk surrounded Thuram coming in to play more of a deeper role, but that isn’t where he’s primarily been featuring this season. Thuram, who scored his first goal of the Ligue 1 campaign earlier this month in a 3-1 over Lens, doesn’t seem to have found his best position yet, which would have made a move for him a gamble.
The 22-year-old’s reported $48m (£38m/€45m) valuation was too much given his lack of experience at the top level, especially with it being higher than the fees exchanged for Endō, Mac Allister, and Ryan Gravenberch.
Cheick Doucouré
Another Liverpool-linked player was Crystal Palace’s Cheick Doucouré. He’s played just 11 Premier League games this season due to injury, and his performances in those games were fairly average. It does appear that some are quick to get carried away by players in the current era, and that sees inflated prices thrown around every summer.
The BBC reported that Palace was looking for a minimum of $86m (£70m/€79m) — not far short of the fee that Real Madrid paid to sign Cristiano Ronaldo from Manchester United in 2009. Wataru Endō’s performances have proved that he was the right move here.
João Palhinha
Fulham’s João Palhinha was one of the more proven talents linked with the Reds last summer. He came close to completing a move to Bayern Munich before the Cottagers couldn’t find a replacement at the end of the window.
It’s been another positive season for him so far, with no player having made more tackles than the Portugal international (108) in the Premier League this season. Diogo Jota’s compatriot also ranks well for interceptions (8th), and continues to be a key player in Fulham’s best results.
Palhinha would have been a strong signing, and it would be unsurprising to see more top clubs interested in his signature for next season.
Kalvin Phillips
Pep Guardiola didn’t hand Kalvin Phillips anywhere near enough first-team minutes for Manchester City, and that saw him never have the chance to see whether he could perform at that level.
He moved on loan to West Ham in January, but things haven’t gone much better with just one Premier League win in six, and no real glowing performances. It’s almost certain that Manchester City will be looking to part ways with him permanently in the summer.
It’s an interesting one when trying to gauge whether Phillips would have been a success for Liverpool. He has the sort of personality and profile that would thrive under Klopp — who would appreciate his more direct passing play. Klopp is also much better at getting the best out of players as seen with the young Reds of late.
André Trindade
Liverpool’s interest in André Trindade appeared genuine in the summer, but Fluminense wanted to keep him ahead of the Copa Libertadores. That plan worked out well as it beat Boca Juniors to win the title in November, but not so much for André — who saw Liverpool cool its interest in him.
A move could be revisited in the summer, though it would be difficult to see how he starts in the current Liverpool team. The Brazilian is one to keep an eye on in the future nevertheless.
Sofyan Amrabat
Sofyan Amrabat’s move to Old Trafford had Manchester United fans excited and social media “tacticos” writing paragraphs on how he will define the number six position. Things haven’t quite gone to plan, though.
The 27-year-old hasn’t made a start in the Premier League since the 0-0 draw at Anfield back in December, and Tuttosport claims the Red Devils had already decided against a permanent switch from Fiorentina.
In similarity to Phillips, it’s interesting to think whether Klopp could have got much more out of him — but Liverpool fans will be glad to have missed out after watching Endō’s rise, in what has proved to be a classic “moneyball” signing.
