Liverpool have a simple £42 million transfer solution that could solve Jürgen Klopp’s midfield problems overnight.

Julian Ward still has time to solve Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool midfield problems, and he may have the perfect solution in the form of a £42 million player.

There is a widespread belief in Liverpool right now that they have run out of time to address the Reds’ midfield issues during the summer transfer window.

Some claim that the best midfield options have already been acquired by others. However, this is not always the case.

With some transfers only completed in the last hectic 48 hours, less than a week is still plenty of time to conduct some business in the window. That provides plenty of time for the club’s new sporting director to get his act together and entice a potential new recruit to Anfield.

And, in terms of options, there are still plenty of players who would be more than capable of playing in the midfield role that is currently desired at Liverpool — a player who can play as a box-to-box midfielder as well as in the holding midfield position to cover for Fabinho.

Ismael Bennacer, who impressed against Liverpool in the Champions League for AC Milan, could be one such solution.

According to Wyscout, Bennacer was among the top ten Serie A midfielders in terms of possession-adjusted interceptions per 90 minutes (6.84) and defensive duel success rate (63.86%) last season.

Composed on the ball and adept at progressing forward on the pitch as well as breaking-up opposition counterattacks, the Algerian international is exactly the profile Liverpool’s midfield lacks.

At 24 years of age, he is also at the perfect point of his career in terms of making an investment with Bennacer retaining resale value for FSG many years down the line.

AC Milan would be reluctant to sell their star midfielder, but La Gazetta Dello Sport (print edition via Paisley Gates) has reported that Liverpool is considering Bennacer as an option.

The midfielder has a release clause of €50m (roughly £42m) on his current deal which expires in 2024 and that could help Julian Ward in securing a potential transfer for the club — absolutely no negotiating on a fee would be required.

For that price, Bennacer would be an absolute bargain for Liverpool, and he is proof the market is still full of viable options that would not just be merely stop-gap signings for the Reds, but viable long-term solutions in order to strengthen an area that could leave Jürgen Klopp’s side exposed in the months ahead.