Liverpool will require more than Jude Bellingham to strengthen their midfield in 2023. Jürgen Klopp may have another Bundesliga transfer option.
RB Leipzig faced Borussia Dortmund just before Europe’s top five leagues finished their fixture schedule for the international break earlier this month. For the former, Konrad Laimer started in a midfield two, while Jude Bellingham started in the same position for the latter.
Liverpool fans will have tuned in to watch the Bundesliga match. The Reds reportedly tried to sign Laimer before the most recent summer transfer window closed, and Bellingham is their top target ahead of a transfer move in 2023.
The Leipzig man was victorious in the match, as his team won by three goals to nil. He could be a good fit for Jürgen Klopp’s midfield concerns at Anfield in the coming months.
Liverpool is currently looking for at least one new midfielder, with James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, and Naby Keta all expected to leave at the end of the season due to contract expirations.
In addition to those departures, Thiago Alcântara is now 31 years old, and Jordan Henderson is 32, with both prone to more injuries than they would like in recent years.
Klopp needs some reinforcements, and while Bellingham is clearly the first choice, Laimer has the credentials to follow him to Merseyside, especially given that he is set to be a free agent next summer.
The Austrian is a rounded player, to such an extent that Bayern Munich has even attempted to acquire his services in recent windows. He’s a good age at 25 years old, and his industrious playing style is fitting with the intense brand of football upheld by Klopp, with Laimer known for his engine and stamina.
He’s an energetic and committed player who suits Liverpool in their current guise. Over the past 365 days, he ranks in the 99th percentile of midfielders for pressures, which captures his tendency and willingness to harry opponents and work for his teammates.
The fact he’s a Liverpool fan perhaps makes him even more ideal. “I’m a football fan and I generally like watching the Premier League. I’ve always been a Liverpool fan,” he told Bild this week.
The big problem in comparison to Bellingham and other targets, however, relates to his availability. Last season, Laimer made just 15 starts in the Bundesliga, playing a total of 1,240 minutes. For perspective, Thiago posted 17 starts and 1,534 minutes.
The campaign before, he made just one start as a consequence of a serious fracture to his ankle. The season before that, he posted 26 starts and 2,115 minutes on the pitch, which is his best record to date since his move to Germany in 2017.
Laimer was substituted with a knock in the 85th minute against Bellingham’s Dortmund and afterward, it was confirmed that he’d picked up his first major setback of the new campaign, suffering a ligament injury that should keep him out of action until January.
Overall, although he’s a good fit in terms of his profile, Liverpool must ensure that whoever is signed to strengthen their midfield department is consistently available enough to do exactly that.
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