Liverpool's Summer Rebuild: Midfield Concerns Amid Winger Additions
Liverpool’s summer rebuild has been bold, aggressive and, in one key area, dangerously thin.
While the club chase yet more firepower out wide and remodel the defence, Andoni Iraola is watching his central midfield options quietly disappear.
Wings and defence revamped
Liverpool’s recruitment drive has been clear. The priority, right now, is landing both Bradley Barcola and Ibrahim Mbaye from PSG. If those deals drop, they will join Victor Munoz to make it three new wingers through the door in a single window.
Out wide, Liverpool will be stacked. Up top, Iraola will have variety and depth.
At the back, the picture has changed too. Jeremy Jacquet has already turned heads, impressing in the final pre-season friendly against Como on Sunday, while Ronald Araujo has arrived on loan to add authority and experience.
The rebuild has a shape. But in the middle of the pitch, a gap is opening.
Bajcetic talks with Getafe
For now, Liverpool have no plans to sign a new central midfielder. That stance looks increasingly risky given what is happening with Stefan Bajcetic and Curtis Jones.
On Monday, Fabrizio Romano reported that Getafe have opened talks to sign 21-year-old Bajcetic. He revealed on X that discussions over the “formula” of the deal are under way, though whether that means a loan or a permanent move remains unclear.
What is clear is that Bajcetic is ready to go home if Liverpool decide to cash in. Last month, Matteo Moretto reported that the Spaniard is open to a return to LaLiga and that Iraola is a firm admirer.
“Iraola likes him a lot. Several teams in Spain want him: Rayo Vallecano, Getafe,” Moretto said, adding that Liverpool’s new head coach wanted to assess him in pre-season before any decision.
The plan was simple: if Bajcetic stayed, he would renew at Anfield. If not, he would push for a move back to Spain.
There is a clock ticking in the background. His current Liverpool deal expires next summer. That means a straight loan to Getafe only makes sense if he signs an extension first. Otherwise, Liverpool either sell now or risk losing him for far less down the line.
Jones edges closer to Inter exit
While Bajcetic weighs up a return to Spain, Curtis Jones is driving hard for Italy.
The midfielder is determined to leave his boyhood club and join Serie A champions Inter Milan. Over the weekend, two major obstacles to that move were cleared almost simultaneously.
Liverpool have lowered their asking price, dropping from £34m to £30m. Inter, who previously saw a £26m bid rejected earlier in the window, are now expected to come back with an improved offer.
At the same time, Inter needed to free space and funds in midfield before going again for Jones. Davide Frattesi has now been loaned to Lazio, with an option to buy included, removing the final internal hurdle to a renewed push for the Liverpool man.
The path is open. If Inter step up, Liverpool look ready to deal.
A midfield left exposed
All of which leaves Iraola facing a stark scenario in the engine room.
If Liverpool sanction exits for both Jones and Bajcetic, the central midfield group shrinks to five: Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch, Dominik Szoboszlai, Wataru Endo and teenager Trey Nyoni.
On paper, it is a talented quintet. In reality, for a club intent on fighting on four fronts, it is a razor-thin core.
One injury, you can manage. Two, and Iraola is juggling minutes. Any more, and Liverpool’s season would rest on youngsters and square pegs in round holes.
The club have chosen to flood the flanks and reinforce the back line. If Jones and Bajcetic walk away in the same window, the real test of that strategy will come the first time the midfield is asked to survive a winter schedule.
