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Thoughts on Endo’s arrival at Liverpool
It is fair to say that despite it being an open secret that Liverpool have been looking for a defensive midfielder, few of us expected them to land upon Wataru Endo as the man to replace Fabinho!
Jurgen Klopp even admitted that Fenway Sports Group, the club’s owners, needed a bit of persuading before signing the Japanese international, who at 30 years of age falls well outside of the Reds’ usual policy of targeting younger, up and coming players.
Liverpool, we know, missed out on two those in Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia, and my understanding is that it was Klopp and sporting director Jorg Schmadtke who pushed for Endo’s signing, once it became clear that Caicedo and Lavia were heading for Chelsea.
There is a lot of Bundesliga knowledge at Anfield, and there was also a feeling that the remaining options in the transfer market were either not good enough or too expensive – and in some cases both, hence Liverpool readjusting their sights and going after Endo.
Clearly, it is not a move they would have made had Caicedo signed – I do wonder whether they might have signed Endo along with Lavia, however – or if either of Henderson or Fabinho had remained, but if he can do what he did at Stuttgart then he could prove a decent addition. His strengths – winning the ball, competing aerially, stopping counter-attacks and getting about the pitch – are what Liverpool need, and while his debut against Bournemouth was a tough one, there were at least a couple of flashes of what he might bring. He’s experienced, he’s captained his club and his country, and he should get plenty of chances to prove his worth this season.
Andre and other potential Liverpool targets
I think in an ideal world, Liverpool would add another midfield player in this window, and given they spent only £16m on Endo, having bid more than £110m for Caicedo, it would be fair to expect that there would be money available for the right player too.
Whether the right player is available is another matter. Liverpool certainly like Ryan Gravenberch, and have done for a number of years, but as it stands they have had little encouragement from Bayern Munich over a potential deal. Gravenberch would like to leave if a decent offer came in, he wants regular football, but Bayern have stood firm all summer, and they hold the cards in this one.
Keep an eye out for developments there, and in the case of Andre, the Fluminense midfield man. There is a lot of noise in Brazil that Liverpool may be about to go back in for the 22-year-old. I’ve not heard that at this point, but he’s certainly a player the Reds like.
I’d be less sure on someone like Kalvin Phillips, who has been linked. Liverpool are not in the business of taking expensive risks, and the Manchester City man would certainly be a risk and he would certainly be expensive. I’d be surprised if that one moved.
In terms of defenders, there is little to report. My own opinion is that Liverpool need one, because an injury to any of their starting back four would be damaging, but as of yet there is no sign of anything happening there, in or out.
Would Ivan Toney be a good signing for Liverpool?
Ivan Toney has admitted to being a Liverpool fan in an interview this week, while he also spoke of his admiration for Arsenal. So, how easy is it to imagine the Brentford striker at Anfield?
Personally, I’m a big fan of Ivan Toney’s. I like his style, I like the personality with which he plays and I think he has developed into one of the best and most accomplished centre-forwards in the Premier League. To do what he has done in the last five seasons, first at Peterborough and then at Brentford, speaks to a huge talent as well as a big character.
I don’t think he’ll ever get his dream move, though. He’ll be 28 next March, and looking at Liverpool’s current forward options – all 26 or under apart from the irrepressible Mo Salah – I don’t see them targeting someone like Toney, irrespective of his off-field issues. There are other clubs – *cough*, Chelsea – who would be far better advised to go after him.
Mason Mount – bullet dodged for Liverpool?
When Mason Mount was linked with Liverpool earlier this year, I think it’s fair to say the reaction among supporters was mixed. Most saw a decent player, but plenty saw his struggles at Chelsea and wondered whether he was a victim of circumstance or whether there was something more to it. My personal opinion was that he would have thrived under a manager like Jurgen Klopp, but I understood why Liverpool felt the asking price was too high.
Looking at Mount’s slow start at Manchester United, and the impact of Dominik Szoboszlai at Liverpool so far, I think it’s safe to say the Reds won’t be regretting their decision not to go all out for the England international.
That said, I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see Mount improve at United under Erik ten Hag. It’s very early days, and he’s a very good player. Just not one that Liverpool need to spend too much time thinking about now. Mac Allister and Szoboszlai will see to that!
Luis Diaz has made a bright start, but Sadio Mane leaves big boots to fill
After so many issues with injuries, it’s good to see Luis Diaz continuing his strong start to the season.
Diaz has been very impressive so far, and crucially looks to be getting into goal-scoring positions more regularly too. He’s always been a good player, but if there was a doubt about him, it was whether he could do what Sadio Mane, and to an even greater extent Mo Salah, have done and become a truly prolific scorer from wide. His record at Anfield, so far, has suggested not, but the signs this season are that he is making better runs, that he is more in tune with his teammates and that, crucially, he has the desire and the hunger to score.
Add that to his other gifts – his beautiful touch, his direct running with the ball, his competitiveness and his strength – and Liverpool have a real asset. Diaz was missed badly last season when injured, and if he can stay fit this time around then the Reds will be in much better shape. He’s made an excellent start, now let’s see if he can build on it.