Selling On, Selling Out, Trading Up: Liverpool FC's Midfield Makeover

More Ins and Outs (And Far More Exciting) than the Hokey-Cokey

Things move fast in football; albeit the problem last season was that the midfield – now exiting at breakneck speed – was not moving fast enough.

It could now be that six – possibly even seven – senior international players aged 28 and over depart in one summer. (Critically, probably none of them would be in the best XI, and four were definitely going to leave this summer anyway.)

It's still an almighty churn, and I'm against churn; but equally, if anyone wants out, they are no longer part of the tight-knit collective that a lack of churn helps to minimise.

Another bonus is that the attack and the defence (and keeper) feels 100% settled now; no new attackers need be sought, and the back four (or the 3-box-3) should perform better with far more energy and hunger ahead of them (even if succession planning needs to be in place, and one new centre-back signing makes sense.)

Then, the emergence and improvements of modern, multi-faceted 'Academy' midfielders, from Stefan Bajcetic and Harvey Elliott, to Curtis Jones and the now quasi-no.6, Trent Alexander-Arnold. None of these should see their development blocked, whilst also having to justify their spot in the team or on the bench.

Anyway, ever since I assumed the midfield overhaul would stop with the signings of Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai (after the exits of three hitherto contracted players and one loanee) we've now seen Fabinho, Jordan Henderson and Thiago linked with moves away, albeit Thiago's the least solid.

Fabinho will surely go, as if he's been left out of the preseason squad; everything will be agreed for that to happen, bar the medical.

Henderson will be having a lot of thinking to do given the backlash, but he's also jeopardised his position as club captain, should it fall through.

Of course, add Fabio Carvalho, who can play as a no.8 and who has been loaned to RBL (with no option to buy), and that could mean eight midfield departures; albeit I still don't see Thiago leaving.

It doesn't need that eight replacements, given the emergence of the younger players, the reinvention of Alexander-Arnold (and indeed, Jones), and the purchase of two starters already.

But if Fabinho goes for £40m – and I said frequently last season that, at his age, selling for £30m would make sense to reinvigorate the midfield – then surely that means at least one more new signing.

(£40m now seems more logical, since the price of midfielders – unless smartly snapped up with buyout clauses – has already risen sharply in 2023.)

To also get £20m for Henderson, and to take a combined £340k a week (£180k Fabinho, £140k Henderson) off the wages, when new signings tend to come in on around £150k tops – another sign of the Reds' egosystem wisdom – means that it frees up wages, too.

Irrespective of automatic cuts to wages due to not being in the Champions League, that's nearly £1m a week in saved wages, with, so far, just a quarter of that assigned to new signings (plus there's Cody Gakpo's wages, signed ahead of this summer but originally earmarked for this window; but he's reportedly on relatively low wages. You'd also expect pay rises for some of the best younger players.)

Fabinho was listed as the Reds' 5th-highest earner. He improved in the run-in, with the help of Alexander-Arnold's new supporting role, but about to turn 30, he was someone I would have been happy to see sold; only now, it means even more churn. Perhaps all he could have given was stability at this stage, and the gamble as to whether he was melting or just having a bad season.

Henderson's possible departure is slightly different, and more surprising; albeit I half expect him to pull out, due to the backlash. (We'll see.)

I think his leadership off the pitch – given that most of the working week is spent training, travelling and hanging out (and a lot of that is done without the manager/assistant manager present, so requires leaders to set good examples) – was very important; but it's only important if it's what he wants to be doing.

So, where do the Reds go from here, losing so many senior midfielders (most were in need of shipping out, just maybe not all at once), and surely at least a third midfield signing is a necessity, although I've spotted one more youngster in the ranks who I think could make an impact there, despite little talk of it so far.

Plus, who to sign?

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