I Fear Gravenberch Could Be Running Out Of Chances At Liverpool
I’ve been saying for weeks that Liverpool need another midfielder, and I’m becoming increasingly hopeful that Lamine Camara could be the answer.
Let me be absolutely clear before anybody gets carried away. I’m not telling you the deal is done. I’m not telling you Liverpool have reached an agreement with Monaco, because I don’t have that information.
But I am confident there’s something happening here.
Read more: Craig’s Column: Jamie Carragher Needs To Respect Liverpool Fans, And Give Wirtz Some Credit
Our information last week suggested Camara’s representatives had been back at the AXA Training Centre for further discussions. Now Lewis Steele has reported that even people at Chelsea believe Liverpool may already have an agreement with the player.
That’s encouraging.
Getting personal terms sorted is one thing. Convincing Monaco to sell in January is another.
But I genuinely believe Camara is the type of footballer Liverpool need, and I’d love Julian Ward to get this done as early as possible.
The interesting question is what happens to the midfielders we’ve already got.
Because I think somebody could find themselves in a very uncomfortable position.
Camara Could Be Exactly What Liverpool Need
I’ve watched a few full Monaco matches, plenty of clips and some excellent tactical analysis of Camara.
I’m not going to pretend I’ve watched every minute of his career.
But what I’ve seen has impressed me enormously.
He’s energetic, difficult to press and comfortable receiving possession in tight spaces. He looks capable of helping Liverpool win the ball back and move it forward quickly.
That matters enormously when you consider how Andoni Iraola wants his team to play.
I love aggressive, high-intensity football. I love watching teams swarm over opponents, win possession high up the pitch and attack before the opposition can reorganise.
It’s one of the things I adored about Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool.
But you need the right midfielders to make that work.
And right now, I don’t think we’ve got the balance quite right.
Camara could help change that.
If Liverpool can get him for somewhere around £50 million, I think it could prove an outstanding piece of business.
There are always risks with transfers, particularly when you’re bringing somebody into the Premier League.
But this is a profile I’ve wanted Liverpool to pursue for a long time.
If the opportunity exists in January, I don’t see the point in waiting until the summer.
Gravenberch Faces A Difficult Liverpool Future
Here’s where things become uncomfortable.
If Camara arrives, what happens to Ryan Gravenberch?
I’m not campaigning for Liverpool to sell him. I’d absolutely love him to rediscover the form that helped us win the Premier League.
But we have to judge players on what they’re producing now.
And I don’t think Gravenberch has been good enough.
He hasn’t maintained the levels we saw during that title-winning campaign, and this season has raised even more questions.
Some supporters believe he’s being made a scapegoat.
I disagree.
Iraola has left him out of the team at times, and I think those decisions have been justified by his performances.
The problem is that I’m struggling to identify his best position.
He’s not a natural defensive midfielder. I don’t believe he reads danger well enough to play that role consistently.
But I’m not convinced he offers enough attacking threat to be an outstanding number eight either.
Perhaps we’re trying too hard to put him into a particular category.
Whatever the explanation, Liverpool need more from him.
Trey Nyoni has emerged as a genuine first-team option, Alexis Mac Allister is performing well again, and Dominik Szoboszlai has recently signed a lucrative new contract.
Add Camara to that group, with Florian Wirtz operating further forward, and competition becomes fierce.
And we’re talking about players earning enormous wages.
Are Liverpool really going to be comfortable paying somebody more than £250,000 a week if they’re no longer a regular starter?
That’s why I think Gravenberch is potentially the most vulnerable midfielder.
It’s my opinion, not information about a planned sale.
But unless his performances improve, I can see difficult conversations taking place next summer.
Liverpool Must Back Iraola’s Footballing Vision
What encourages me is that I can see what Iraola is trying to build.
We’re fourth in the Premier League, we’ve won three of our four Champions League matches, and we’re into the League Cup quarter-finals.
That’s a reasonable position for a manager still implementing his ideas.
I understand the frustration about our home league results, particularly against Manchester City and Arsenal.
Anfield needs to become a fortress again.
But I’m seeing enough improvement to remain optimistic.
The football is becoming more aggressive, the pressing is improving, and the players are beginning to understand what the manager wants.
There are still issues.
We can be too slow moving possession through midfield, and we sometimes resort to aimless crosses rather than creating better opportunities from the byline.
I also think we need more runners arriving into the penalty area.
But those are things that can improve with coaching and the right recruitment.
And that’s why I’d rather see Liverpool prioritise Camara over another expensive attacking signing.
Endrick Can Wait, Liverpool Have Bigger Priorities
There are fresh reports linking Liverpool with Real Madrid’s Endrick.
Would I be furious if we signed him?
No.
Would I be particularly excited?
Not really.
We’ve already invested heavily in attacking players, and I think midfield and defence are more pressing concerns.
I’m also uncomfortable with the suggestion that Real Madrid could insist on a buyback clause.
A sell-on percentage wouldn’t bother me. That’s simply part of negotiating a transfer.
But I don’t want Liverpool developing a player only for Madrid to take him back when it suits them.
If Iraola specifically wants Endrick, that’s a different conversation. I’d back the manager getting the players he believes in.
But my priority remains Camara.
Get the midfield balance right, give Nyoni the opportunities he’s earning, and hopefully secure Mac Allister’s future with a new contract.
Then we can start thinking about how far this team might go.
I believe we’re moving in the right direction, and I genuinely fancy us to have a proper go at winning the League Cup.
But January represents an opportunity to make Iraola’s job considerably easier.
For me, Lamine Camara is the obvious place to start.
Much Love.