Man City is making significant transfer moves. Pep Guardiola’s latest target should serve as a reminder to Liverpool that they must address the Jordan Henderson issue.
Pep Guardiola and Manchester City are not resting on their laurels despite winning four of the last five Premier League titles. In fact, it’s the opposite.
This was evident with the signing of Erling Haaland, one of the most sought-after players in the game today. Haaland is expected to be one of the most influential players of the post-Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo era, and Manchester City beat out competition from across Europe to sign the Norwegian predator.
However, it appears that City is not done with transfer business. They are reportedly interested in signing Leeds midfielder Kalvin Phillips this summer. Phillips has been linked with Liverpool in recent months, but it appears that City is determined to bring him to the Etihad Stadium before the start of the next season.
The addition of Haaland, as well as the potential addition of Philips, would make City even more likely to win another Premier League title. It would put Liverpool and Jürgen Klopp in the unenviable position of having to take on the sky blue machine.
The potential signing of Phillips serves as a reminder to Liverpool and Klopp that the club would benefit from having a player of this caliber in the squad. When Fabinho is out due to injury, Liverpool is a different team, as evidenced numerous times last season. No other player on the team can intercept the ball, press, and shield the defense like the Brazilian.
When Fabinho was unavailable last season, Jordan Henderson stepped in, but the club captain does not see the role the same way. Philips would be one of the best signings Liverpool could make in this regard.
Of course, Liverpool isn’t going to splash huge amounts of money for Phillips merely just to be Fabinho’s back-up, especially while Henderson is still around. Moreover, it’s likely that Phillips wouldn’t accept such a proposal from Liverpool, considering his value and the demand for his services.
But even if Liverpool doesn’t sign Phillips, the issue still remains, and it’s one that the club needs to address this summer. Given how integral Fabinho is to the current Liverpool setup, finding a vice-Fabinho will prove a hard test. The club essentially needs a player to step in five or six times a year when the Brazilian is unavailable.
The solution could be to find a player who can play both Fabinho’s deeper role and Henderson’s preferred more advanced starting position. This is why connections to Aurélien Tchouaméni and Phillips make sense.
However, with Tchouaméni now at Real Madrid and Philips seemingly leaning toward City, Liverpool must act quickly before any other potential targets are off the market.
The signing of Darwin Nez was the first step in attempting to keep pace with Manchester City at the top of the English game. Guardiola has now reminded Liverpool that the second act must include the acquisition of another midfielder.
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