Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola faces an urgent midfield dilemma following a 2-2 draw at Newcastle United, where central defensive weaknesses were again exposed.
Although the club is on the verge of spending over £100m to secure French winger Bradley Barcola from Paris Saint-Germain as a replacement for Mohamed Salah, the incoming signing will not resolve the side's defensive holding position.
During Iraola's first official game in charge at St James' Park, Liverpool struggled without a dedicated screening midfielder to snuff out danger. Newcastle's opening goal came after Ryan Gravenberch lost possession on the edge of the opposition penalty area, allowing the hosts to bypass the midfield with a single pass and run clean through on Liverpool's two central defenders while full-backs sprinted back to recover.
Later in the match, Gravenberch surrendered the ball again near the box, enabling Yoane Wissa to break through central spaces with ease as Gravenberch, Dominik Szoboszlai and Florian Wirtz jogged back.
The performance prompted immediate calls from fans and Sky Sports pundits Daniel Sturridge and Jamie Carragher for Liverpool to sign a defensive midfielder. The issue formed the centerpiece of Daily Mail Sport's match analysis and dominated Iraola's post-match press briefing following the 2-2 draw.
Defensive vulnerabilities on display
Liverpool Football Club, one of the most successful teams in English Premier League history, has struggled to establish a permanent holding midfielder since the departure of Fabinho in 2023. In football, a specialist No 6 operates directly in front of the back line to break up opposition attacks and maintain structural balance.
In the summer of 2023, Liverpool pursued Romeo Lavia from Southampton and Moises Caicedo from Brighton and Hove Albion, but both players ultimately signed for Chelsea. Liverpool instead completed a Deadline Day deal for Stuttgart's Wataru Endo as a stop-gap option, though the 33-year-old Japan international rarely plays in midfield and often serves as defensive backup.
Former manager Jurgen Klopp improvised in the holding role with Alexis Mac Allister, Curtis Jones and Trent Alexander-Arnold during a title challenge that faltered in mid-March. The following summer, Liverpool advanced a deal for Real Sociedad holding midfielder Martin Zubimendi, but the Spain international chose to stay in San Sebastian before joining Arsenal a year later.
The failure to secure Zubimendi left Liverpool relying on existing options, mirroring earlier missed targets in the transfer market.
Former boss Arne Slot, who was eventually dismissed after similar central midfield issues persisted, had initially converted Gravenberch into a holding midfielder alongside Mac Allister. The pair formed a strong partnership as Liverpool won the Premier League title, but neither player maintained that form last season, with Mac Allister struggling physically and privately taken aback by criticism. The summer departure of Curtis Jones has further reduced squad depth in central areas.
Transfer market stance and potential targets
Despite public concern, Liverpool's transfer strategy throughout the window has prioritized wide attackers over a defensive midfielder. Reports over the past 24 hours linked Monaco midfielder Lamine Camara to Liverpool and Chelsea, but internal sources maintain the club will not enter the market for midfielders unless a current player leaves.
One potential tactical solution involves adjusting the position of Florian Wirtz, who arrived last year for a £116m transfer fee. Dropping Wirtz or shifting Dominik Szoboszlai higher could create a defensive double-pivot to shield the back four, though Iraola intends to build his attack around Wirtz and striker Alexander Isak following their outing at Newcastle.
Tactical adjustments and player roles
Iraola, who previously oversaw player development at Bournemouth, insists the central openness is not a personnel failure and believes his front-footed tactical philosophy will yield positive results over the course of a full season. During his tenure at Bournemouth, where Marco Rose now manages, players such as Antoine Semenyo, Milos Kerkez, Dean Huijsen and Ilya Zabarnyi developed into high-value assets, while Tyler Adams, Eli Junior Kroupi and Rayan remain key figures.
Another proposed option is shifting to a 3-4-2-1 formation to convert full-backs Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong into wing-backs with reduced defensive duties. Wirtz previously excelled in a 3-4-2-1 system under Xabi Alonso at Bayer Leverkusen, but Liverpool hierarchy views this system change as unlikely given their summer focus on recruiting wide forwards.
Youth alternatives from the academy
Iraola's coaching background at Basque club Athletic Club, where squad selection is restricted strictly to players of Basque origin, relies heavily on developing internal talent. Under this approach, 19-year-old English midfielder Trey Nyoni could see increased first-team action after impressing during pre-season fixtures.
Nyoni, who made a 21-minute Premier League debut last season, is regarded by Daily Mail Sport youth observers as an elegant deep-lying playmaker with mature positional sense. Meanwhile, academy graduate James McConnell has been asked to remain at Anfield rather than proceed with a planned loan move to Preston North End, following a season split between a loan at Ajax and injury recovery.
