As we enter the final few days of the summer 2023 transfer window, it’s hard not to think that Liverpool’s business is yet to be completed. That may simply be wishful thinking, but there remain two very obvious holes in Jürgen Klopp’s squad.
There certainly looks to be a need for reinforcements at center-back. While Virgil van Dijk’s suspension will be brief, Reds fans are familiar with the unwelcome sight of Ibrahima Konaté being out through injury. As neither Joe Gomez nor Joël Matip has a sparkling fitness record, fresh cover should be sought.
And what about in midfield? Has any player had a stranger two weeks than the recent experience for Wataru Endō? There can’t be many, with his move to Liverpool coming out of the blue and his first two appearances for the club seeing the side reduced to 10 men.
As things stand, the Japanese international will be Klopp’s primary defensive midfielder for a campaign in which the Reds will chase a top four finish, maybe an unlikely title bid, as well as cup competitions at home and abroad. It’s a big ask for a player far more accustomed to the lower reaches of the Bundesliga.
Help may be at hand in the form of Wilfred Ndidi. It has been reported by the Independent that the Leicester City midfielder “may be considered” by Liverpool, with his club “willing to do business” as the window draws to a close. The Foxes’ relegation at the end of last season means the 26-year-old would not cost as much as the likes of Cheick Doucouré, another rumored player of interest.
Ndidi has been much sought-after in the past, though injury problems have dampened the fervor towards him. The Nigerian missed 21 matches in 2020/21 and a further 20 the following season (per Transfermarkt) and may represent a significant risk depending on the finances of the deal.
But if Liverpool is not quite in a ‘beggars can’t be choosers’ position, time is not on its side. Think too of the benefits Ndidi could bring. Like Endō, he has experience at center-back, so could provide Klopp with cover if a preferred defensive target is not available this summer.
He is also vastly experienced at Premier League level so could theoretically slot straight into the side. This would afford Endo a much more measured integration into life with Liverpool, rather than being repeatedly plunged into the deep end as seems to keep happening.
The Leicester man could also provide the Reds with a very solid platform at the base of their midfield. Across the last 365 days, Ndidi is in the 95th percentile among his positional peers in Europe’s big five leagues for tackles, and the leading one per cent for interceptions (per FBref). While those numbers were boosted by playing for a struggling team, the simple fact he has proven capable of completing so much defensive work is hardly a bad thing.
With him and Endō alternating in the role, Alexis Mac Allister would be free to play in one of the more advanced midfield roles, from where he can have a far greater influence upon Liverpool’s attack.
Alternatively, he and Ndidi could offer tactical flexibility by forming the holding duo in a 4-2-3-1 formation, as both played the role in that system for their respective clubs last season. This framework would enable Jürgen Klopp to field four forwards in his favored formation from his Borussia Dortmund days. This in turn would make it a touch easier for him to include Darwin Núñez.
Could Ndidi to help maintain the Uruguayan’s burst of form which exploded at Newcastle? It looks strange at first glance but signing the Leicester midfielder could unlock all manner of benefits for Klopp and the side — particularly if coupled with a new center-back, that would be a perfect transfer finale.
