Liverpool appear to be reaping the rewards following a summer of change at Anfield in the playing department, with manager Jurgen Klopp having overseen something of a mass squad overhaul after moving on notable key figures who had been the bedrock of his side in recent years.
Out went the likes of Jordan Henderson, James Milner and Fabinho, among others, as the midfield ranks, in particular, endured a seismic shake-up, with the former Borussia Dortmund boss ruthlessly wielding the axe following a disappointing campaign for the club as a whole.
Having missed out on Champions League qualification last term, the Reds look intent to atone for that underwhelming 2022/23 campaign amid what has been a rather impressive start to the new season, with the Merseyside giants currently in the mix near the top of the table.
The additions of Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister, in particular, have seemingly helped to reinvigorate Klopp's men of late, with the former already arguably "one of the best players" in the side – according to Jamie Carragher – while the latter man is an undoubted "superstar", in the words of TNT Sports pundit, Joe Cole.
With promising playmaker Ryan Gravenberch also beginning to make his mark, amid comparisons to Arsenal great Patrick Vieira from Carragher, the future looks bright at Anfield in the centre of the park, yet that's not to suggest that the jigsaw is completely finished.
While Klopp did recruit experienced maestro, Wataru Endo to fill Fabinho's void in front of the back four, a more long-term solution in that role could be required, with the missing piece potentially set to be acquired in 2024.
Liverpool transfer targets – midfielder
It is fair to say that the name on everybody's lips at present is Brazilian starlet, Andre Trindade, with the 22-year-old believed to still be a leading target for Klopp and co heading into the January window, after the player previously turned down the Premier League outfit during the summer.
The indication is that Liverpool remain keen on the Copa Libertadores winner, yet they could well face competition for the midfielder's signature from rivals Arsenal, while Fulham are believed to be the 'strongest candidate in England' – according to the latest reports.
With that in mind, it would be worth the Reds not putting all their eggs in one basket, with reports earlier this week also outlining that the club do hold an interest in Monaco's Youssouf Fofana, who is currently in the final year of his contract at Stade Louis II.
As per 90min, while it is Manchester United who are looking closely at the 24-year-old, those at Anfield are also said to have the Frenchman 'on their radar', alongside the Gunners and Newcastle United.
A deep-lying midfielder by trade, Fofana could be the perfect solution for Klopp at the base of his central trio, with the one-time Strasbourg man able to follow in the footsteps of the aforementioned Fabinho by making the move from Monaco to Merseyside.
The stats that show Youssouf Fofana would be a good signing for Liverpool
Liverpool no doubt struck gold by snapping up the now-departed Fabinho from the Ligue 1 outfit back in 2018, with the Brazilian powerhouse going on to become a key cog in Klopp's relentless machine, as the club claimed Champions League and Premier League glory.
At one stage the "best" in the world in his position – according to Sky Sports' Gary Neville – the former Real Madrid maestro racked up 219 appearances for the Anfield side in all competitions prior to leaving for Saudi Arabia this summer, scoring 11 goals and contributing ten assists in that time.
Trying to fill that void is not an easy task, yet Fofana appears to have the tools to be able to do so, having established himself as a truly "magnificent player" in recent years, according to respected talent scout Jacek Kulig.
The Monaco man's quality was notably illustrated last term in France's top flight as he scored twice and contributed two assists in 36 league games – as well as creating six 'big chances' – with that ahead of what Fabinho achieved in the Premier League in 2022/23, after providing two assists and no goals, while creating four 'big chances'.
In a defensive sense, Fofana's prowess was also evident last season as he averaged a stellar 3.9 tackles and interceptions per game, with Fabinho, by contrast, averaging just 2.8 in that regard last term.
That would indicate that the 13-cap France international can more than thrive if Liverpool are to step up their interest in the winter window, with the in-demand talent – who is valued at €40m (£35m), according to CIES Football Observatory – also a worthy alternative to Andre.
How Youssouf Fofana compares to Andre
While much has been made of Liverpool's apparent interest in the Brazilian "leader" – as hailed by Kulig – turning attention toward Fofana could prove a worthwhile venture, with the duo both able to offer valuable benefits in their deep-lying berths.
Fofana
Andre
0.27
0.28
0.14
0
2.63
1.82
82.3%
93.9%
7.78
6.21
2.26
1.79
1.22
1.43
2.06
2.29
1.72
1.17
As the table above illustrates, Andre appears to be a figure who can act as a composed, midfield metronome – having also enjoyed an average pass accuracy rate of 95% in the league in 2023 – and rarely looks to squander possession for his side, although his eye-catching counterpart is perhaps more adept at impacting proceedings in the final third, as his superior record for progressive passes and progressive carries serves to showcase – with three assists to his name already in Ligue 1 in 2023/24.
Where the duo are perhaps more alike is in winning back possession for their respective clubs, with the latter man averaging three tackles and interceptions from 11 top-flight outings so far this term, while the Fluminense ace is only just ahead after averaging 3.2 in that regard from 24 Brazilian Serie A appearances.
Those respective statistics outline that Fofana would be a worthy, perhaps more attack-minded alternative to the younger man as far as Klopp is concerned, with the Paris native also potentially set to enjoy a smoother transition to life in England, amid his current experience in European football.
With the Reds having seen the benefits of taking Fabinho from Monaco in the recent past, they could well land an ideal successor to the Al-Ittihad ace with the signing of the 6 foot 1 sensation.
