Despite Liverpool’s stunning start to the Premier League season, fans still have one eye on the January transfer window.
The Reds have done brilliantly so far under Arne Slot despite barley adding to their squad at all last summer.
But while they have gotten away with that lack of activity so far, it does feel as though it would be pushing it to go a whole season without plugging the necessary gaps in the Liverpool squad.
The main concern is Liverpool’s lack of depth in quality across the deep-lying midfield areas.
Slot tried to sign Martin Zubimendi over the summer and clearly wants another option in the middle of the pitch.
One player who could perhaps be of interest is Brighton’s Carlos Baleba. Baleba has been linked with Liverpool already this season and journalist David Lynch has now suggested that it could be one to watch.
Liverpool likely to be tracking Carlos Baleba
After a bit of a stop-start season during his debut campaign at Brighton last year, Baleba has come into his own this time.
Still only 20, the Cameroonian has started seven out of the Seagulls 10 Premier League matches so far, only missing out recently due to a niggling injury.
That included an absence in both of Brighton’s games against Liverpool over the past week.
Baleba’s injury meant that the Reds could not get a closer look at the talented midfielder. But speaking to Anfield Agenda, Lynch suggested that Liverpool have already done plenty of homework on him.
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“I wouldn’t be hugely surprised to be honest that he would be on their radar even when he was at Lille as they tend to keep an eye on similar players to Brighton,” said the reporter. “Trying to find those undervalued gems in other leagues and he’s absolutely one of them, I think he’s a brilliant player.
“The big question around him is profile wise, if he’s exactly what Liverpool are looking for in central midfield at the moment. Maybe that would have an effect whether he’s on the shortlist long-term going forward.
“But it’s an interesting link and I daresay they keep an eye on a few Brighton players thinking that they could be the next step for them.”
Should Liverpool sign Carlos Baleba?
Signing just after Moises Caicedo ultimately left the club, Baleba was very much the now Chelsea man’s replacement at the Amex.
Instructively, the 20-year-old is a similar kind of defensive midfielder to Caicedo.
Obviously, Liverpool tried their best to get the Ecuadorian 18 months ago, before he joined Chelsea.
However, as Lynch says, their remit for a new midfield signing has since changed a little. The Reds are no longer after a ‘destroyer’ type of player as Caicedo more generally is.
So, in our opinion, while Baleba looks to be a very good player in the making, he is not necessarily the kind of one Slot is looking to hang his hat on. As a result, we’d suggest to keep the watching brief, but perhaps look elsewhere as well.
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