1 year ago
213 Jamie Carragher has described the search from Liverpool for a new midfielder as an absolute mess, with Romeo Lavia set to join Moises Caicedo by signing for Chelsea this summer.
Carragher was speaking on Monday Night Football on Sky Sports (broadcast on 14/8 from 18:30) following reports that the Southampton star would prefer to move to Stamford Bridge.
Liverpool flew out of the blocks with the signing of Alexis Mac Allister. It appeared to be a real coup for the Reds based on the Argentinian’s form for club and country last season.
They further bolstered their ranks with the arrival of Dominik Szoboszlai. But the departures of Fabinho, Jordan Henderson and James Milner have left the Reds looking incredibly light in the middle of the park.
Liverpool started strong against Chelsea on Sunday, with Mac Allister playing a key role in the opening goal. However, the absence of a natural holding midfielder did hurt Jurgen Klopp’s side as the game went on.
Carragher baffled as Liverpool miss out on Caicedo and Lavia
And unfortunately, Liverpool’s hopes of signing Romeo Lavia look set to be dashed. The Guardian reports that the Belgian wants to join Chelsea despite the Reds having a £60 million bid accepted.
With Moises Caicedo also deciding to join Mauricio Pochettino’s side, Liverpool now face a race against time to strengthen in the middle of the park before the deadline.
However, fans will argue that this situation has been on the cards for some time. And Carragher was clearly not willing to express much sympathy for the decision-makers at Anfield.
“In a pretty difficult place,” he told Monday Night Football. “They need to buy someone in midfield – people know they are desperate. They put a bid in today for £60 million, when they refused to pay £50 million. It’s been an absolute mess, it’s a joke. The biggest problem about it is that Liverpool have known they needed midfield players since last season, 12 months ago.
“People think I defend it last year, I have no relationship with at all – but this is not on the owners – this is on the structure of the football club when Liverpool were the model to Europe, not just in Premier League to follow.
“They had a guy called Michael Edwards at the top of the club, a transfer committee, it worked well, he left. His number two took over, he was in a job for a six months, and he then moved on. You have to ask why these people are moving on.
“In the space of 18 months Liverpool have had four directors of football. That is your job in that role to get deals over the line. Liverpool haven’t got deals done.
“The two players they have bought have got buy out clauses. Liverpool have not got deals done. It’s been embarrassing. You start with Lavia, then you go Caicedo, yes you get something agreed – that’s why I won’t be critical of the owners because they were willing to pay £110 million, but to go with him when he has been talking to Chelsea for three months, now to go back to Lavia. It’s an absolute mess.”
The one positive for Liverpool fans is that there is time left. And clearly, there is money to spend after their bids for Caicedo and Lavia.
It is not going to be easy for the club to find another target at this stage. Teams know how desperate the situation is. And prices are only going to go up at this stage.
But many fans will feel that there is now no excuses if Liverpool do not sign another midfielder somehow.
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