Jamie Carragher Identifies Player He ‘Loves’ Who Liverpool Should Sign This Summer
Liverpool have been strongly linked with the signing of a midfielder this summer, and Jamie Carragher has named the player he believes would be an ideal addition, while also highlighting the impact of Virgil van Dijk’s absence during the recent draw with Brighton.
Carragher identified a Newcastle midfielder he would like to see join the Merseyside club and reflected on how Liverpool haven’t looked the same without Van Dijk’s presence on the pitch.
The Reds are set to be crowned Premier League champions after their final fixture of the season, which comes against FA Cup winners Crystal Palace on Sunday. Despite securing the title with four matches to spare, Liverpool have failed to win any of their games since.
While these recent results may not hold much weight in the bigger picture, they appear to underline why new head coach Arne Slot and sporting director Richard Hughes are keen to bolster the squad during the summer transfer window.
Reports suggest Liverpool are closing in on a deal for Jeremie Frimpong and remain interested in his Bayer Leverkusen teammate Florian Wirtz, along with Bournemouth defender Milos Kerkez.
Should these ambitious transfer targets be secured, Liverpool would significantly strengthen both their defence and attack. However, it is yet to be confirmed whether Slot and Hughes are also planning to recruit a new central midfielder.
Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister have impressed in midfield throughout the season. Nevertheless, there’s an argument that both could have used more rest — especially Mac Allister, who is currently taking time off — which could open the door to further reinforcements.
Carragher has made it clear he would favour a different Newcastle midfielder over Bruno Guimaraes, naming Sandro Tonali as a more suitable option for Anfield during his appearance on the ‘Stick to Football’ podcast.
“Sandro Tonali,” Carragher expressed, adding his observation after Tonali’s positional shift. “I’ve only said that this season since he went to that role. Guimaraes is a good player and the Newcastle fans love him, but they love him that much that I sometimes think, ‘am I watching the same game?’
“I think he’s a good player but he lacks a bit of pace – I like the pace and power of Tonali, when I see him getting across people, closing people down, knocking them out the way.”
After Liverpool’s 3-2 loss to Brighton and Hove Albion, the club’s winless run has now stretched to three consecutive matches.
Manager Arne Slot made several changes to the line-up, with captain Virgil van Dijk absent from the squad. In his place, Jarell Quansah was brought in to partner Ibrahima Konate at the heart of the defence.
Jamie Carragher drew a parallel between William Saliba’s form when separated from Gabriel at Arsenal and the value of strong defensive partnerships, referencing his own experiences during his playing days.
“Saliba is a center-back I love – and I’m not classing him as a fringe player, he’s a brilliant player.
“But, he never quite looks the same when Gabriel isn’t alongside, I don’t know if that’s just the games I’ve seen. Me as a player, and we’re probably all the same, if someone said to me that, ‘you don’t look the same when he’s not playing’, I’d almost be embarrassed. You need someone else to play well.
“Let’s say for instance last night (against Brighton), Konate. I said before the game I was really interested to watch, because Liverpool have had a lot of center-backs over the past few years who have played alongside van Dijk and people will say, ‘this is the best partnership in the league’. I always think, is it? Or is he just that good?
“That’s what great centre-backs do – they make other players look good. For me, I think of Tony Adams or John Terry, the great center-backs. The thing for me when I watch center-backs is I want to see them organise, and make other people play well around them.
“I was watching Konate – he’s a good player and he’s quick, I was just like, ‘He needs a bit more than that.’ That’s what I was saying about Saliba, when Gabriel isn’t here.”
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