Liverpool caught everyone unawares with the £43.7 million purchase of defensive midfielder Fabinho, announced on Monday night. The acquisition will immediately boost morale at Anfield following the pain of a Champions League final defeat, when a gulf in class in central midfield was evident.
There is no shame in that against Real Madrid's trio of Casemiro, Toni Kroos and Luka Modric, but midfield has clearly been identified as a department in need of upgrades with Naby Keita due to arrive too. If Liverpool's pursuit of Lyon playmaker Nabil Fekir proves successful, Jurgen Klopp could have a completely new, well-balanced, midfield axis to transplant into his preferred 4-3-3. Fabinho will be asked...