Aurélien Tchouaméni has already told Jürgen Klopp what Liverpool’s summer transfer plan should be

Aurélien Tchouaméni has already told Jürgen Klopp what Liverpool’s summer transfer plan should be

Liverpool probably never fully recovered from Aurélien Tchouaméni’s absence in the final transfer window. The Frenchman has a message for Jürgen Klopp.

With Liverpool expected to be heavily involved in the conversation about Jude Bellingham’s next club, there’s no doubt the Reds are hoping the English star decides his future lies at Anfield. However, if the Borussia Dortmund teenager decides to move elsewhere, Liverpool must have a contingency plan.

Not for the first time under Jürgen Klopp, Liverpool are expected to challenge a host of top European clubs this summer for one of the hottest midfield properties in Europe. To find the last time the club was in a similar situation, we need only go back to last year, when the Reds were strongly linked to the highly regarded Aurélien Tchouaméni, then of Monaco. At the time, the Reds were looking to rejuvenate a midfield believed to be in need of an update – sound familiar?

Of course, the Frenchman would eventually opt to move to Real Madrid in July, which came as a major blow to the Reds’ transfer plans for that summer, despite Klopp’s staff making the first move. Initially, the Liverpool manager publicly insisted that no more midfielder would actually be needed despite the disapproval, but early season form forced the German manager to admit his mistake, with Arthur Melo eventually he spent a season attended. loan from Juventus on the transfer deadline day.

Directly or indirectly, it seems fair to say that the failure to sign the French international has impacted Liverpool’s fortunes this season. Talented as they are, the fact that two teenagers in the form of Stefan Bajčetić and Harvey Elliott have played 59 games together this season demonstrates the lack of experienced options Klopp has always had in midfield this season – whether by injury or lack of form.

Arthur Melo’s failed temporary transfer to Anfield cannot be ignored either, as the Brazilian was sent to the touchline for most of his tenure and only made one appearance for the first team since signing in August last year. The former Barcelona midfielder has struggled with his fitness since moving to Merseyside and Klopp hasn’t shown any urgency to use him since returning from injury either.

The Liverpool boss has regularly favored less experienced staff over the loanee midfielder since his return last month. While a lot of it has to do with getting into physical shape and giving Arthur the equivalent of a “proper pre-season”, calling the emergency signing a bust doesn’t seem like a risk at all. this stage. The apparent lack of a contingency plan for Tchouaméni now seems negligent, to put it in the strongest possible terms. Arthur has had no impact this season and one can’t help but think that the loss of fortune this season could have been much less severe had Liverpool offered a better alternative to the Frenchman from Real Madrid.

Aurelien Tchouaméni’s decision to join Real Madrid rather than Liverpool last summer was a blow to Anfield hiring managers

As many as four established first-team midfielders will leave Anfield this summer in James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Naby Keïta and Arthur. The need for Liverpool to strengthen in this area of ​​the pitch is certainly a necessity now. Athletic’s David Ornstein suggested earlier this week that Liverpool could do without the aforementioned Bellingham this summer as the club are reluctant to prepare for a ‘bidding war’ with other elite clubs like Real Madrid and Manchester City for the June 19 anniversary. old signature.

Bellingham has long been cited as the Reds’ main target this summer, but there’s no denying that Real Madrid and Manchester City are in a more attractive position sportingly at the moment. Taking all of this into consideration, it is clear that Liverpool will have to learn the lessons from the neglect of last summer’s transfer market activity.

There is no guarantee that the former Birmingham City prodigy will end up at Anfield this summer and that is a reality Klopp’s staff must face. After their mixed fortunes this season, following what has been a poorly managed summer transfer window, Liverpool simply cannot afford to be unprepared for anything this time around.