Liverpool: Reds allegedly closing in on Amrabat deal

Jurgen Klopp is reportedly set to continue his pursuit of midfield reinforcements…

After agreeing a deal to sign Waturu Endo, Liverpool are reportedly still looking to add another midfielder to their ranks, as Jurgen Klopp aims to complete his rebuild in the middle of the park.

The Reds were left without a defensive midfielder when Fabinho and Jordan Henderson left for Saudi Arabia earlier this summer. Following Endo, however, they have seemingly turned their attention to Sofyan Amrabat.

Linked with a move to Manchester United for the majority of the summer, Amrabat could now be on his way to Premier League rivals, Liverpool. According to Dutch outlet Algemeen Dagblad, the Reds are well on their way to finalising a deal for the Morocco international.

Given that West Ham United reportedly saw a €35m (£30m) bid accepted for the midfielder last summer, before Amrabat rejected a move to the London Stadium, it would likely be a similar fee now for the Reds, with the report essentially claiming a deal is on the verge of being completed despite not naming the exact fee.

Of course, the Merseyside club have already lost one battle for midfielders against fellow Premier League sides this summer, losing out on Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia to Chelsea in dramatic fashion.

Now, reports suggest that they are in the midst of a battle with rivals Manchester United for Amrabat’s signature, but this time they are going to win. With just under two weeks remaining in the summer transfer window, it will certainly be interesting to see where the Fiorentina man ends up.

Suffering an ongoing midfield crisis, culminating in summer signing Alexis Mac Allister starting the season out of position in defensive midfield, welcoming Amrabat feels crucial for Liverpool.

The Moroccan proved that he could perform on the biggest stage last season, playing a large role as his country shocked the world to reach the last four of the World Cup, where they lost against France.

It was a tournament which earned him plenty of praise, too, with Joe Cole calling him “outstanding” and former Spain coach Luis Enrique saying, via Football Italia: “Achraf [Hakimi], En-Nesyri, Amrabat and Ziyech are extraordinary players.”

Meanwhile, statistically speaking, Amrabat would be an upgrade on the options at Klopp’s disposal last season, as his side finished outside of the top four for the first time in a full campaign under the German.

Last season, as per FBref, the Fiorentina midfielder made over two more progressive passes per 90 than Fabinho, whilst also making more progressive carries, enjoying a better pass completion rate, and making more clearances per 90. The numbers show that, in almost every aspect, Amrabat was better than the Brazilian last season.

If the Reds can secure the 26-year-old’s signature for as little as £30m, it’s fair to say that they’d be getting themselves a bargain deal, and a deal which would play a large part in solving their midfield dilemma this summer.

Drawing 1-1 with Chelsea on the opening day, Liverpool must now turn their attention to their first home game of the season, as they welcome Bournemouth in hope of winning their first three points of the season.

Yet to complete their midfield rebuild, Klopp’s side will once again be an intriguing watch.