In reality, the rot had begun to set in for Liverpool much earlier, with the Reds in desperate need of midfield reinforcements last summer. In this regard, as painful as the defeat at Anfield was, it really only confirmed what we already knew.
Liverpool’s hand is likely to be forced now, with three first-team midfielders set to leave for free in the summer in the form of James Milner, Alex Oxlade Chamberlain, and Naby Keta. The Reds will be looking to re-establish themselves at the top of the European game in the coming years, and Klopp and his staff will need to get their act together this summer.
With this in mind, Liverpool could do a lot worse than sign a midfielder who was dubbed the “best in Serie A” earlier this week after stellar performances for Atalanta. According to one former coach, Teun Koopmeiners has stood out for the Bergamo side this season, outperforming Inter’s Nicolo Barella and Lazio’s Sergej Milinkovic-Savic.
“Now there are many players (at Atalanta) who make the difference,” said Bortolo Mutti, a journeyman coach in Italy who spent time with Atalanta. “Like Koopmeiners, the league’s best midfielder. (He is) always present in all areas of the field.”
With Liverpool set to compete for the signing of Jude Bellingham this summer, Koopmeiners could represent an alternative or an additional player who could bring some much-needed experience to the squad. Prior to the standout loss against Real Madrid, Liverpool had already been comprehensively beaten by the likes of Brentford, Brighton, and Wolves this season, highlighting the Reds’ dearth in midfield.
Recent victories over a poor Everton side and ten-man Newcastle probably covered up the cracks, but they were clearly visible against Carlo Ancelotti’s side. There is no doubt that Liverpool’s midfield requires a revamp, with Koopmeiners’ vitality and all-around ability undoubtedly an improvement over current options — and perhaps even a better fit than Barella’s mercurial talent, especially alongside Bellingham.
The 24-year-best old’s days are undoubtedly ahead of him, as his performances for Atalanta this season have established him as a truly elite midfielder. The 15-time international, who joined the club from AZ Alkmaar in the summer of 2021, has six goals and three assists in 22 league appearances and has impressed with his leadership and passing quality in Italy.
Leave a Reply