Michael Edwards' priority at Liverpool is now obvious

Last summer Liverpool began to rebuild the team that Arne Slot inherited from Jurgen Klopp.

As well as several blockbuster arrivals, the Reds sanctioned the departures of some key players, and a new era at Anfield is clearly underway.

This season has definitely not gone to plan for Slot, with his side already out of contention for the league title, but Liverpool’s rebuild looks set to continue into next summer.

The club have already announced a deal that will bring French starlet Jeremy Jacquet to Anfield next summer, a transfer that will continue the evolution of the Reds’ backline.

The defence seems to be the priority for most supporters, but there is another glaringly obvious gap in the squad that needs to be addressed.

Liverpool cannot afford to focus solely on their defence

Although injuries have struck the Reds’ defence the hardest this season, the midfield is lacking just as much depth as the backline.

On multiple occasions this season all of Liverpool’s senior midfielders have been on the pitch at the same time, and one at least one occasion the Reds’ didn’t name a single midfielder on the bench.

With plenty of speculation surrounding the futures of Curtis Jones and Alexis Mac Allister, and Wataru Endo not getting any younger, Liverpool’s already strained midfield could take a hit in the summer too.

Multiple midfielders, including Kees Smit and Sandro Tonali, have been linked with moves in recent weeks, but it is becoming abundantly clear that Richard Hughes and Michael Edwards must prioritise reinforcing the midfielder sooner rather than later.

How badly do Liverpool need another midfielder?

The Reds’ trip to the Stadium of Light on Wednesday once again showed just how badly Slot’s side could use another midfielder.

Owing to Dominik Szoboszlai’s suspension and injuries to Jeremie Frimpong and Conor Bradley, Endo started the match at right-back.

Curtis Jones was the only senior midfielder named on the bench, and the number of minutes Liverpool’s midfielders have played continues to creep up.

Ryan Gravenberch, Szoboszlai and Mac Allister have all been almost ever present in Slot’s starting XI this season, and playing that many minutes will surely have a long-term effect.

Adding another midfielder to the squad is now necessary to take pressure of Liverpool’s current options and to ensure the Reds aren’t left so short next season as they look to once again challenge for the Premier League title.

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