Slot’s own Ugarte: Liverpool could land dream No.6 in 51m "machine"

So then, Brentford. Liverpool will welcome Thomas Frank’s Bees to Anfield on Sunday, still buzzing from their victory over Crystal Palace in the Premier League’s opening game.

The Reds got off to a winning start themselves, weathering a storm at Portman Road to rally in the second half and dispatch newly-promoted Ipswich Town with a blistering second-half performance, with Ryan Gravenberch showcasing a potential future in the deep-lying midfield role.

Gravenberch, aged 21, is regarded as a multi-functional midfielder but impressed at No. 6, perhaps proving to be a shrewd internal solution to Liverpool’s most prominent quandary.

The Dutchman is probably going to retain his place in the starting line-up on Sunday, having been lauded for shining in the holding role by The Athletic’s James Pearce.

Slot also has Wataru Endo at his disposal, but make no mistake, Liverpool need a new holding midfielder.

Why Liverpool need to sign a midfielder

It would be a mistake to bank the pursuit of a new long-term holding midfielder until next year, even if Gravenberch, Endo and Alexis Mac Allister hold down the fort with success.

Mac Allister, for example, triumphed in a looser role across the second half of the 2023/24 campaign, praised for being a “superstar” who “can play anywhere” by pundit Joe Cole.

The 31-year-old Endo, meanwhile, played an industrious role in Klopp’s swansong season but was utilised sparingly by Slot during pre-season and was an unused substitute during Liverpool’s season curtain-raiser.

With expected title challengers equipped with Rodri and Declan Rice, who of Europe’s foremost midfielders, and Manchester United on the cusp of signing Manuel Ugarte from Paris Saint-Germain – Fabrizio Romano has recently said that the move is “almost completed” – Slot probably needs to find an answer.

Failure to sign Martin Zubimendi

Liverpool failed in their bid to sign Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad earlier in August and transfer guru David Ornstein stated that the Reds are “not expecting to sign an alternative no. 6”.

That response stemmed from FSG’s circumspection around hastily signing the wrong player, with club chiefs adamant that a more prudent tone would bear the biggest dividends down the line.

The Euro 2024 champion is not the only press-resistant and dynamic holding midfielder around, with Liverpool also reported to have an interest in Atalanta’s Ederson this summer.

GIVEMESPORT claimed in July that sporting director Richard Hughes was considering launching a bid, and it may well be that Zubmendi was simply determined instead, and that the interest is still there.

If so, time is running out to complete a move, but with a reported price tag of €60m (£51m), the Brazilian could be the perfect, affordable addition.

Why Ederson could be the perfect fit for Slot

Described as a “machine” in the middle by reporter Carlo Garganese following Atalanta’s stunning Europa League final victory over Bayer Leverkusen in May, Ederson has proven himself worthy of a place in Liverpool’s first team.

After all, the Serie A side knocked out Klopp’s side en route to the final, with the 25-year-old playing a central role. His combative and controlling nature has been showcased on Anfield’s pitch and signing him might be an intelligent move considering the rigours of the year ahead.

Ranking among the top 13% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 20% for progressive passes and the top 15% for tackles per 90, as per FBref, he even has the kind of complete skillset that Slot craves.

He also offers an immense physical presence that would supercharge the Liverpool centre, unceasing in his movements, and dominating from the middle.

Ederson also scored six goals in Serie A last year, suggesting that, while his principal role would be to sit at the base, he can add an attacking dimension too.

Liverpool will want to land an instant answer to United’s soon-to-arrive Ugarte, whose tough-tackling expertise will make quite the difference, actually averaging a whopping 3.9 tackles in Ligue 1 last year.

Liverpool’s Endo, conversely, averaged only 1.7 tackles per Premier League match last year and won just 41% of his ground duels, emphasising the need for an upgrade.

Ederson might not commit to the intense defensive output of Ugarte, winning 2.3 tackles per league match last year, but he also won 56% of his ground duels and has a more complete style than Endo and Ugarte, who won 53% of his ground duels last term.

The Red Devils incoming midfielder, indeed, ranks among the top 6% of positional peers for pass completion but also among the bottom 25% for progressive passes and the bottom 25% for through balls per 90.

Perhaps, then, it’s no surprise that credible links of Liverpool’s interest in Ugarte this summer have not surfaced, for he simply wouldn’t dovetail into Slot’s system.

Instead, Hughes and co could now move for the perfect answer to the Manchester United target, one who would actually lift the Anfield first team up several notches, back toward the forefront of European football.