Well done Richard Hughes: Brazil midfielder is EXACTLY what Liverpool need in January

It’s clear Liverpool’s 2025/26 season isn’t going as expected.

The defending Premier League champions entered the campaign as runaway favourites to defend their crown.

Their title-winning squad was fortified with £450m worth of new signings but Arne Slot and Richard Hughes are still waiting to see the best of those players.

And there has been a drop-off in form for some of the key title-winning players - including Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Alexis Mac Allister and Mo Salah.

The cumulative effect is that Liverpool have regressed this term - currently sitting eighth following their weekend win over West Ham.

That victory ended a run of nine defeats in 12 matches overall - but time will tell whether the Anfield club can get back to their consistent best.

Ederson available at €30m to €40m

It’s been suggested that the Reds could spend again in January in order to cure their current ills and midfield has been identified as an area to upgrade.

Hughes and Slot opted to stick with their tried and tested midfielders despite the summer spending spree and the toll is beginning to tell on them.

A move for Ederson - the Atalanta midfielder - could now well materialise if a report in Fichajes is to be believed. Earlier this week it emerged that the Brazil international, 26, would be available for around €30m to €40m.

With a contract expiring in 2027 - and no sign of a renewal on the horizon - La Dea may well accept a cut-price bid for their midfield star in order to avoid losing him for nothing.

LFC take the lead in Ederson chase

"In recent hours Liverpool has entered the race with a firm offer that positions them as the clear favorite to secure his services, with the clear intention of finalizing the deal in the upcoming winter transfer window and getting ahead of the other suitors,” the report reads.

“At Anfield, they believe his arrival would be a perfect fit for their sporting project, bringing energy, robustness, and the ability to sustain a high-intensity system. His profile is particularly well-suited to a team that bases much of its play on pressing, a high tempo, and strength in midfield.”

Barcelona are also mentioned as suitors for Ederson - who starred over two legs against the Reds during Atalanta’s successful UEFA Europa League run back in 2023/24.

However the Catalans’ uncertain financial situation should see Liverpool easily win the race for one of Serie A’s best midfielders.

He can cover the out-and-out defensive midfield position in place of Ryan Gravenberch but could also step into one of the positions further forward and add extra bite and energy to the second half of Liverpool’s season.

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