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Liverpool continue to hunt for midfielder reinforcements in the summer transfer window with Jordan Henderson and Fabinho set to leave and Marco Verratti could be the ideal solution
Liverpool’s search for midfield reinforcements has become even more crucial as Jordan Henderson’s departure looms.
The Reds have reportedly agreed on a £12 million fee with Saudi Arabian club Al-Ettifaq for the transfer of the 33-year-old midfielder, with additional add-ons potentially increasing the total amount. This move will see Henderson reunite with former teammate and Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard, who recently took charge of Al-Ettifaq.
Liverpool are also facing the imminent departure of Fabinho after received a £40 million offer from Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Ittihad. Fabinho’s absence was evident as he did not travel with the first-team squad for their pre-season fixture against Karlsruher in Germany.
It is expected that the Brazilian midfielder will finalize his transfer to the Middle East soon, ending his successful five-year spell at Liverpool. Liverpool have already begun the process of identifying replacements for the pair – and signed Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister earlier in the window.
Several names have been linked with a potential move to Anfield, including Romeo Lavia, Ryan Gravenberch, and Cheick Doucoure but the latest player to be mentioned is Marco Verratti, reports the Liverpool Echo. The Italian midfielder has been a key figure at Paris Saint-Germain for over a decade, and reports suggest that all players at PSG are available for transfer this summer.
Liverpool could potentially exploit this situation and make a move for the 30-year-old. Despite his age, Verratti still has three years remaining on his contract with PSG and is likely to command a significant transfer fee.
Verratti has faced Liverpool only once in a competitive match, during the group stages of the Reds’ successful 2018/19 Champions League campaign. Although he missed the thrilling 3-2 encounter at Anfield, he returned for the rematch in Paris and spoke highly of Jurgen Klopp’s side.
He acknowledged the challenge Liverpool posed, stating: “Before Liverpool, it’s good as we won all our games, but Liverpool will be different. They are a team who play very well at home. They have experience in the Champions League as they reached the final last season. It’s an important test for us, not decisive but it’s good to start with a complicated game.”
Analyzing Verratti’s statistics from the 2022/23 season provides insight into the impact he could have on Liverpool’s midfield. Despite making seven fewer league appearances than Fabinho, Verratti outperformed the Brazilian in various categories.
He completed almost three times as many progressive ball carries per 90 minutes (40 vs 15) and maintained a superior pass completion rate (92.6% vs 88.3%). Verratti’s total number of passes in Ligue 1 (2,383) far exceeded Fabinho’s Premier League tally (1,617), highlighting his exceptional passing ability.
Defensively, Verratti also excelled, averaging 3.11 tackles per game compared to Fabinho’s 2.19. He consistently outperformed Fabinho in terms of stopping advances from attacking players, with 1.56 successful tackles against dribblers per game compared to Fabinho’s 0.81. Verratti also had a higher number of blocks per 90 minutes (1.72 vs 1.28).
Comparing Verratti to Henderson also reveals the Italian’s superiority in various key metrics. Verratti’s pass completion rate of 92.6% surpasses Henderson’s 83%, as does his average number of tackles per 90 minutes (3.11 vs 1.39), challenges per 90 minutes (1.56 vs 0.65), and blocks per 90 minutes (1.72 vs 0.91).
While Liverpool will undoubtedly face challenges in the absence of Fabinho and Henderson, the potential acquisition of a player like Verratti could help alleviate the impact of their departures.
