Liverpool are set to renew their interest in Southampton‘s highly-rated Romeo Lavia as part of a hastily assembled Fabinho exit plan.
After the club’s satisfaction at brokering slick deals for priority targets Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai, no-one at Anfield expected this summer’s midfield re-set to require a part two. But intense Saudi interest in Fabinho and Jordan Henderson is set to prove the first big test of new director of football Jorg Schmadtke’s tenure.
A formal £40m bid for Brazil international Fabinho from Al-Ittihad at the end of last week has not yet been accepted by Liverpool but the two clubs were continuing talks on Monday and the expectation is that a deal will be sanctioned by the Reds if the structure of the transfer is favourable.
Fabinho remains a world-class midfielder on his day but a bid of that size, coupled with the player’s apparent intention to triple his wages in the Saudi Pro League, makes a deal feel somewhat inevitable. Selling a player when he has passed the peak of his powers for a premium fee is an essential tenet of the Fenway Sports Group’s model and while Jurgen Klopp does not want to lose him, he will also appreciate the sale represents a big opportunity.
But as much as banking close to the £44m they paid for Fabinho five years ago is a bonus for the Reds, it will only help the club if they are able to find a solution that improves them at relatively short notice. Given the answer conjured up by their transfer brains trust to their midfield woes last September was the injury-plagued Arthur Melo, who played less than 20 senior minutes for the club, that is not a given.
The big difference now is that Liverpool have funds and in Schmadtke, a director of football totally aligned with an influential head coach. The Reds considered alternative options to Schmadtke but their decision to appoint the German was a clear show of faith in Klopp.
Now it is time for that relationship to reap rewards because while Fabinho might not be coming off his best season at Anfield he still leaves a substantial void to fill.
Liverpool’s options include Southampton’s outstanding teenager Lavia, a player they are keen on but who is also drawing interest from Arsenal. It’s understood that Saints, keen not to sell prized assets on the cheap after relegation, are quoting a £50m asking price for Lavia which Liverpool have so far found excessive.
Armed with the Fabinho money, they will be prepared to re-enter talks but would expect some form of compromise.
Kalvin Phillips, Bayern Munich’s Ryan Gravenberch and Fiorentina’s Sofyan Amrabat have also been linked but the first of those names is committed to staying at Manchester City unless Pep Guardiola tells him he is surplus to requirements. Gravenberch is not for sale, Bayern sources say.
The unavailability of their priority options is a familiar issue for Liverpool who may be contemplating moving down to the next tier of targets. Atalanta’s Holland midfielder Teun Koopmeiners, watched by Reds scouts in the last 12 months, also fits their possible profile.
Liverpool may yet lose another key midfield cog this summer. Saudi sources say talks continue over Henderson’s proposed move to Steven Gerrard’s Al-Ettifaq are “ongoing” and losing their talismanic captain would require further emergency surgery.
Klopp does not want to lose Henderson and all eyes will be on the teamsheet when Liverpool kick off pre-season in Germany on Wednesday. The skipper, unlike Fabinho, did travel and should figure against Karlsruhe.
There are some solutions to these midfield dilemmas inside the squad, with Trent Alexander-Arnold’s move to a hybrid role set to continue after the successful experiment last season.
The Reds also have Stefan Bajcetic, the precocious 18-year-old who is ahead of schedule in his development plan but remains raw. And as last season’s midfield misfires illustrated, sometimes compromising in the transfer market can leave you dreadfully exposed.
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