Liverpool ready to hijack move for £50m “machine”

Liverpool won the Premier League this season but already FSG are planning for the future. Arne Slot came and conquered English football when none beyond Merseyside’s red reach thought he had the capacity, and he did it with minimal transfer investment.

Now, though, is the time for action. This is the squad Jurgen Klopp build over so many years, carefully created and layered to now stand among Europe’s elite.

That’s not to say Slot has ridden the coattails of his predecessor, who failed to add to his one Premier League triumph across each of the previous four campaigns.

The Dutch coach has taken the tools handed to him and built something new, but with Trent Alexander-Arnold now officially a Real Madrid player and Liverpool’s fiercest rivals at home and abroad gearing up to strengthen, it was always going to be important to build.

The latest Liverpool transfer targets

Liverpool have acted with consummate efficiency in the build-up to the summer transfer window, already announcing the signing of Jeremie Frimpong as Alexander-Arnold’s direct replacement at right-back.

Bayer Leverkusen have lost their electric right-sider, and their star playmaker is set to follow. Florian Wirtz is one of the most talented midfielders on the planet, and FSG have entered the final stages of what should become a club-record €130m (£110m) signing.

Next up, Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez should join the Anfield rebuild, with Kostas Tsimikas mooted for a departure and Andy Robertson, 31, taking a step back, handing the Hungarian Kerkez the keys for the long-term berth.

When all this is wrapped up, you’d think the Reds would turn toward exits, with Darwin Nunez expected to depart and the futures of younger squad members like Harvey Elliott and Jarell Quansah uncertain too.

Such financial gains would lead Liverpool toward a new number nine, but they may not stop there. Extra cover at centre-back has been discussed, and sporting director Richard Hughes may even move for a new centre-midfielder.

Liverpool enter race for new midfielder

Liverpool are well-stocked in the centre of the park, but Ryan Gravenberch’s qualities were exhausted in the deep-lying role across the campaign, and some competition would do nicely.

That’s why – according to GIVEMESPORT – Liverpool are prepared to hijack Manchester United’s potential move for Atalanta’s Ederson, 25, whose performances in Italy have earned praise, leading to a stunning Europa League final victory over Bayer Leverkusen last season.

Though the Brazilian would cost around £50m, this could be a worthwhile investment for a Liverpool side determined to challenge for silverware across a range of various fronts.

Why Liverpool want to sign Ederson

It may not be a priority position this summer, but the beauty of Liverpool completing the lion’s share of their transfer business is that they can turn toward bonus deals, and Ederson would surely be the icing on the cake.

An athletic and robust player, Ederson thrives at the heart of the field, flying in with challenges, recycling possession and driving the ball forwards.

A man of different parts, then. Ederson completed 87% of his passes in Serie A this season, winning 4.9 duels per game at a success rate of 56%, suggesting he has the physical strength and technical crispness to succeed in the Premier League.

As per FBref, Ederson ranks among the top 12% of central midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for progressive passes and the top 19% for ball recoveries and aerial battles won per 90, emphasising a rounded approach that ‘Slotball’ would welcome with open arms.

Ederson’s powerful eye for goal and Brazilian heritage suggest he could become Slot’s own Fabinho, with the iconic Klopp favourite doing the dirty work in the middle of the park for Liverpool, allowing the forwards to flourish and steal the headlines.

Liverpool signed Fabinho from AS Monaco in a deal worth £44m back in May 2018, the Brazil international going on to feature prominently across five campaigns, winning the full gamut.

Fabinho might not have had the flair of, say, Gravenberch, who is more of an elegant, shoulder-dropping maestro of a number six, but his industrious approach to his craft bred rich results for the Anfield side, anchored as he was in the middle, dispossessing opponents and calmly picking out teammates in opportune areas.

Now, it’s time to bring in the next version, one who could give Slot a greater width of possibility to pick from in the centre of the park. Described as a “machine” of a midfielder by journalist Carlo Garganese, Ederson is the real deal, a proven winner in Italy with the physicality and dynamism to make a positive impression with Slot’s champions.

He’s also tuned to the modern way of things, with a broad tactical reach that could see Liverpool’s boss shuffle him across a variety of positions to best serve their goals, maybe even discovering a formula which could see Gravenberch and Ederson playing together on the field.

Given Liverpool fell by the wayside across tournament fronts this season, it might be wise to bring in a different profile to jockey with Gravenberch, who has performed remarkably well and was crowned the Premier League Young Player of the Year; however, sometimes a grittier style is required.

It’s the kind of profile Fabinho utilised so expertly across the span of his Liverpool career. Wataru Endo has been brilliant since arriving as a stop-gap replacement, but becoming a cult hero and a Premier League champion besides, but the 31-year-old doesn’t bear his predecessor’s completeness.

It’s clear: if Liverpool manage to complete their business this summer and recoup some lost money through the sales of several fringe stars, Ederson is the man to go for, especially if it foils Man United in their pursuit of a much-needed rebuild.