Door now wide OPEN for Liverpool to sign perfect midfielder

The door is wide open now for Liverpool to pursue a sensationally talented midfielder.

In many ways, Richard Hughes left this squad in the summer very unbalanced. Arne Slot's system requires high intensity and players who cover a lot of ground.

Hughes didn't really add enough of those profiles to the team. There's no speed, no stamina in the squad.

Liverpool need more runners. Players who can disrupt the opposition's flow and also make Slot's side less vulnerable in transitions.

Finding players of that profile is not easy. Liverpool have been trying to do it for years. Moises Caicedo was an option. Aurelien Tchouameni was another. Martin Zubimendi, the less said the better about that.

So, right now Hughes is not left with a lot of options. The club's recruitment team both before him and with him have tried and failed.

Now though, in this January transfer window the door may have swung ajar for him to pursue a move for the perfect midfielder.

On paper, the midfielder who probably suits Liverpool the most stylistically is Carlos Baleba. He covers a lot of ground and he is that destroyer profile that the club hasn't had since Fabinho.

Liverpool are admirers of Baleba. They see him as the ideal profile, too.

For a long while, it seemed as though Manchester United were the favourites for his signature. United themselves have been trying to strengthen their midfield and Baleba has been their no.1 target.

That though might have taken a massive swing in momentum. With United sacking Ruben Amorim and paying him £10m for the remainder of his contract, Liverpool's rivals have got themselves in a tricky situation.

The kind of situation that will deter any prospective players wanting to join the club in the January window.

And this is juxtaposed by Baleba's performances at the African Cup of Nations for Cameroon. For the majority of the season at Brighton, he's been a little lacklustre.

But at AFCON, he's picked up the pace and he looks like the absolute diamond of a midfielder that he really is.

Baleba is dominating and dictating games all single-handedly and to be doing what he is doing at 22-years-old is special.

He's a sensational talent. It's very clear that he would like a move. His performances for Cameroon in contrast to Brighton this season make that abundantly obvious.

And now the window is open. United are focusing on other things. It's the perfect opportunity for Hughes to walk through those open doors and win the race for Baleba's signature.

The time to pounce is now.

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