da betano casino： The Reds are running out of time to strengthen at the No.6 position after their two primary targets both rejected them to sign for Chelsea instead

da 888casino： We knew that Liverpool would sign some midfielders this summer. The engine room effectively broke down last season and the Reds unravelled as a result, failing to finish in the Premier League's top four. As such, reinforcements were essential, even just from a numbers perspective, with the likes of James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain all heading for the exit door.

It came as no surprise, then, to see Liverpool move quickly in the transfer market, adding some much-needed dynamism and creativity to the midfield by activating buy-out clauses to bring in both Alexis Mac Allister, from Brighton, and RB Leipzig's Dominik Szoboszlai.

What we didn't expect, though, was a complete clear-out, an absolute overhaul of the entire department – and yet that's exactly what has played out, with Liverpool having made the surprising decision to cash in on both first-choice No.6 Fabinho and captain Jordan Henderson, who often stood in for the Brazilian in front of the back four.

As a result, at least one more signing is required, a defensive midfielder of considerable skill and stature to tie the whole midfield together. For a long time, Romeo Lavia looked like being that player. However, Chelsea now look likely to beat the Reds to Lavia's signature.

It's a bitter blow, especially considering the Blues already secured the services of Moises Caicedo ahead of Liverpool this week, and it leaves the club in a seriously tricky position. The clock is ticking towards Deadline Day and the Reds seem a million miles away from securing the holding midfield player that they so desperately need.

Ahead of what is set to be a frenetic final few weeks of the summer, GOAL takes a look at the alternative targets Liverpool could look to sign…

GettyKalvin Phillips (Manchester City)

A transfer link that appeared to come out of nowhere at the start of the summer, but one that does make a modicum of sense. Kalvin Phillips only arrived at Manchester City a year ago, and many players need a season to get to grips with Pep Guardiola's complex tactical approach.

However, the mere fact that the treble-winners made a move for Declan Rice underlined that Phillips is considered neither an heir to – or an adequate understudy for – Rodri. So, it's just really difficult to see the England international belatedly breaking into the City side, even if he gets over his injury issues.

A transfer, then, appears inevitable, and it was thought that West Ham might sign Phillips as their Rice replacement. But with the Hammers opting for James Ward-Prowse instead, the Reds could rekindle their apparent interest in the England international.

Liverpool would be understandably reluctant to pay too much money for a 27-year-old with just 49 Premier League games under his belt, though Phillips could agitate for a move after being an unused sub once again in his side's Premier League opener against Burnley.

AdvertisementGettyBoubacar Kamara (Aston Villa)

Steven Gerrard may not have got a lot right at Aston Villa, but there's no denying the genius of snapping up Boubacar Kamara on a free transfer from Marseille, with the midfielder enjoying an excellent first season in England.

Douglas Luiz may have made more headlines for his contribution to Villa's remarkable revival under Unai Emery, but Kamara proved just as integral to the Spaniard's game plan on account of his ability to break up opposition attacks and move the ball on quickly to other, more creative colleagues. More importantly, Kamara would be capable of covering a huge amount of ground in a similarly effective manner to peak Fabinho.

Villa, though, have absolutely no need to sell, as Kamara is under contract until 2027. It would take a massive bid to even get Villa to the negotiating table and even then, Emery would do his utmost to block the sale of a player that is so important to his side.

GettyFlorentino Luis (Benfica)

Enzo Fernandez earned himself a massive move to Chelsea in January thanks to his fine form for Benfica during the first half of last season and, more importantly, the pivotal role he played in Argentina winning the World Cup. However, one of the main reasons why he excelled for the Eagles was his partner in Roger Schmidt's midfield, Florentino Luis, arguably the revelation of the club's campaign.

Indeed, he had spent the previous two seasons out on loan, at Monaco and Getafe, and, truth be told, he didn't play particularly well for either club. There was certainly no indication that he would suddenly explode upon his return to Estadio da Luz – but that's exactly what he did, earning himself a new, improved contract with his fantastic performances in front of the Benfica back-line.

A buy-out clause of €120m (£103m/$131m) was inserted into that deal, and while it won't require quite so much money to persuade the Portuguese club to part company with Florentino, a sizable fee will undoubtedly be required. Benfica, as Liverpool know only too well, drive a very hard bargain…

Florentino certainly ticks a lot of boxes, though. He may not be particularly creative, but he's highly effective when it comes to both winning and distributing the ball. Whether Liverpool are really willing to pay top dollar for a player that has yet to be capped by Portugal remains to be seen, but the 23-year-old's potential is obvious.

GettyJoao Palhinha (Fulham)

Liverpool have a tendency to target younger players in the transfer market, particularly when there's a need to spend big, but an exception could be made for Joao Palhinha. The Portugal international proved one of the signings of last season's Premier League, impressing all and sundry as newly-promoted Fulham finished 10th in the table.

Palhinha popped up with three goals, but what stood out was the way in which he dictated the play and implemented Marco Silva's footballing philosophy. He is, as Jurgen Klopp put it, Fulham's "connector", the man that linked the whole team together.

Liverpool's scouting department, who have followed Palhinha for some time now, firmly believe that he could perform a similar role at Anfield, but he won't come cheap. West Ham reportedly had a £45m ($57m) bid rejected several weeks – would Liverpool really be prepared to go much higher for a 28-year-old?

Considering how much his fellow Premier League defensive midfielders have gone for this transfer window, Fulham are hardly likely to shift in their sky-high valuation either.