Scouting the Midfield

AN ARTICLE BY MATTY

Back by popular demand, I’ve gone back down the analytical rabbit hole to find some midfielders that’d be suited for us. I’ll go in order of most popular among Liverpool fans and also those I like the most out of what’s currently available. Must admit this was a pretty fun exercise, found some players I liked that probably aren’t on anyone’s radar. I even found a strong young Canadian midfielder, which will put DB into a coma if he ever gets around to reading this. Let’s begin.

Jude Bellingham: I had to put him first, didn’t I? My updated analytics show him being among the best in the world in almost every single stat. A true all-rounder who can press for days, keep possession, and connect play with the front three or four (he can work in a double pivot if Klopp wants to go with that moving forward). He ranks in the 90th percentile or higher in shot-creating actions, goals, assists, xG and shots, indicating elite offensive output. He also ranks in the 90th percentile in progressive passes and dribbles, again indicating elite offensive output while also making himself look like the perfect fit for what Klopp prefers on the right side of a midfield trio. Klopp kept trying to make Naby work in that spot because he appeared to offer similar qualities, and while that never worked out, Klopp can remedy that transfer mistake in adding Jude. The price tag would be extremely hefty, but his elite offensive skill set along with strong numbers in tackles, blocks and interceptions suggest he’s the perfect fit for any top team’s midfield.

Moises Caicedo: Alan just got stiff. But seriously, Brighton’s success this season can be put down as mainly due to this guy. They have the record of a European contender with Caicedo in the lineup and the record of a lower mid-table side without him. The 21-year-old is rather raw in the offensive phase of the game, he doesn’t rate highly in many of the attacking stats but you can see progress clear as day. Defensively, he more than holds his own, rating in the 87th percentile in tackles, the 70th percentile in blocks, and the 84th percentile in interceptions. He’s also a tidy passer, which brings to mind a certain Dutch midfielder that is still a hot topic after more than a year since leaving. Caicedo could fulfill the Gini role upon arrival and a top manager like Klopp could tap into his offensive potential to make a monster of an all-rounder. The price tag goes higher after every good performance, though, if Liverpool want him they’re going to have to act fast.

Enzo Fernandez: Enzo is the type of midfielder that would fit City perfectly, which is why it sucks that City are already linked to him. I’ve pounded the table for a Thiago understudy for years. Fernandez projects as a guy who’s got similar passing range but is a bit more dynamic moving forward. Which makes sense, Fernandez has much younger legs than Thiago. In his first season at Benfica, their system already runs through him, he averages almost 100 passes per game, completing 88% of them. He ranks in the 90th percentile or higher among midfielders in assists, expected goals, expected assists, progressive passes, shots, shot creating actions, passes attempted and passes completed. He lights up the offensive stats like a Christmas tree. My guess is his price is around £50 million and he’d be the type of creative midfielder we could build around alongside Harvey. However, his release clause is £105 million, probably too prohibitive for us. City will get the perfect replacement for Gundogan once they pay that in January.

Stephen Eustaquio: He’s a bit older than I thought he was, he’s 25 now. The Canadian born in Ontario has broke through into Porto’s first eleven and has made the most of his opportunity, and I think this is one guy who will make a name for himself in Qatar, with Canada making the tournament for the first time since 1986. Eustaquio is another midfielder in that Thiago mold, acting as a deep lying playmaker in a double pivot this season for Porto. Like many other midfielders on this list, he ranks very highly in many offensive stats, his pass completion is a bit low but that’s the only stat below the 80th percentile. He hits the 99th percentile in assists and expected assists. He also doesn’t shirk defensive responsibilities either, averaging over 2 tackles per game. I’m not sure of what his price would be, considering our relationship with Porto through the Luis Diaz transfer I think Eustaquio might be the most likely deal we make. Very, very underrated and would fit well here.

Ibrahim Sangare: Tentatively linked with him last summer, this has been the season where Sangare has truly put it all together. And with Fabinho going through one of the worst stretches of play we’ve seen from him in a Liverpool shirt, it might be time to start thinking about buying a true understudy for the Brazilian. Seeing how close we were to signing Tchouameni, perhaps I’m not alone in this line of thought. About to turn 25, Sangare has put up elite offensive output in addition to his usual outstanding defensive work. His progressive passing numbers have spiked as well as his goal output, his charts on Football Reference are a whole lotta green, which is the mark of an outstanding all-round player. A penetrative passer at the base of the midfield, whose size and reading of the game isn’t all that different to a prime Fabinho. If Liverpool brass weren’t convinced by him six months ago, perhaps they are now.

Nicolo Barella: Have I done an analysis on this guy? I forget. He’d be perfect for our midfield. He may be a midget, but he fights like a bulldog, presses like a madman, and has some sweet passing ability. I’ve been wanting him at Liverpool for the better part of two years and we’ve been consistently linked in that time frame. His offensive output in terms of goals and assists has improved in each season, after having 4 goals and 13 assists last season in Serie A he already has 5 and 5. A pure box-to-box midfielder, his engine runs for days. He‘s become quite the playmaker, rating highly in progressive passes (sensing a trend with my targets?), expected assists, and shot creating actions. An offensive weapon who will die for the badge, Barella would be an ideal fit if Inter were ever willing to sell for a somewhat reasonable price.

Marc Roca: I’ve had my eye on him for a while. After a big move from Espanyol to Bayern didn’t go according to plan, Roca went to Leeds and has slotted straight into their first eleven, forming a nice partnership with Tyler Adams. Adams brings the steel while Roca brings the silk, but don’t think Roca isn’t solid defensively. He’s fit right in at Leeds, wouldn’t be prohibitively expensive, and could fill a couple needs in the squad. If nothing else, he could be the type of midfielder we’ve missed since Gini left, someone who can just keep possession and knows his role defensively to prevent counterattacks. The two things that stand out in Roca’s stats are his progressive passing and his tackling ability, both grading well. Still only 25, perhaps Roca could learn from his time at Bayern and make the jump to a big team again if he can keep up what he’s doing with Leeds.

Khephram Thuram: You might recognize the last name, and yes, this is indeed the son of Lilian Thuram, French legend. Khephram has been making his way in Ligue 1 with Nice, and at the tender age of 21, he’s got loads of potential. Something I’ve noticed is that outside of Sangare, there is a real dearth of quality midfielders that can operate at the base of the midfield. Loads and loads of progressive ball-playing midfielders, but very few that could do Fabinho’s job at the base. With that in mind, perhaps it wouldn’t be a bad idea to see what you’ve got in a young ball of clay like Thuram. He already looks like a very well-rounded player, like Sangare there’s a lot of stats to be positive about. He doesn’t rank poorly in anything, he’s got the height to work at the base of the midfield or in a double pivot. Considering how all it took was one breakout season from Tchouameni for him to get snapped up by Real Madrid, it would be prudent to get Khephram Thuram before a bigger club goes in for him. If we can’t get Sangare, Thuram would be a smart purchase.