It could be said that the 2022/223 campaign was one to forget for Liverpool, but then Jurgen Klopp will be keen for his squad to remember the suffering after years of success.
The esteemed manager has rectified the problems with sweeping changes to the midfield last summer and Liverpool are now fighting for silverware once again, topping the Premier League table after 20 matches and into the latter stage of both the Carabao Cup (semi-finals) and the Europa League (round-of-16).
Liverpool eyeing £78m "Rolls-Royce" who could be the next Saliba
Jurgen Klopp would make a clear statement of intent by completing this transfer in 2024.
ByAngus Sinclair Jan 5, 2024
Liverpool have multiple options across each area of the pitch but it would be naive and short-sighted to assume that reinforcements would not benefit the pursuit of a grand finish to the 'rebuilding' campaign.
Klopp's side, it would seem, are ahead of schedule, and while this may be the case, the current transfer window must surely then be used to preserve this pleasing position at the front of the pack.
Liverpool transfer news – Morten Frendrup
According to a report from the Liverpool Echo's Paul Gorst at the start of the month, Klopp is looking for a new operator at No. 6 and has identified Genoa midfielder Morten Frendrup for transfer.
However, with Tutto Juve since revealing that Liverpool could be joined in their interest by London clubs Crystal Palace and West Ham United, who are seemingly enticed by the bargain €10m (£9m) price tag, this deal must be tied up swiftly if he is indeed deemed worthy of a move to Merseyside.
Ideally, scouts and the club's technical director Jorg Schmadtke would continue to assess the player's development until the summer but with rival competition and a low value, plans may well be accelerated over the coming weeks.
Morten Frendrup's style of play
Described as a midfield "destroyer" by talent scout Jacek Kulig – who also dubbed him a "superb talent" – Frendrup is noted for his pace, passing, athleticism, positioning, tenacity and tackling.
Having chalked up 70 appearances for Genoa since moving from his homeland in 2021, and after guiding them back into Serie A before the summer, he has been immense over the past months, starting all 18 league matches in 2023/24 and racking up four assists.
While Frendrup might appear amiable and unassertive, he is a veritable monster on the pitch and has been the life force for his club, with his no-nonsense defensive work and unwavering protection of the backline striking fear into opponents.
While he is comparatively inexperienced on the major stage, the 22-year-old is unquestionably talented and could be an astute addition to a team already boasting options in the No. 6 role.
As a holding midfielder, he is diametrically opposed to Alexis Mac Allister, who is not the cleanest defensively but is technically brilliant and offers a range of passing that allows him to pull the strings from the heart of the field.
Strengths
Weaknesses
Tackling
Ball retention
Aerial duels
Passing
Intercepting
Blocking
*Sourced via WhoScored
As per FBref, Frendrup ranks among the top 1% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for tackles, the top 7% for assists and the top 11% for blocks per 90, showcasing his blend of creativity and defensive ability.
The 5 foot 10 ace is without a doubt one of the toughest-tackling players in Italian football and has averaged 4.0 tackles and 6.7 ball recoveries per game this term, as per Sofascore, also succeeding with 66% of his duels.
Whether such prowess would translate to life on English shores remains to be seen, and while his passing is not the crispest – he ranks among the bottom 27% of midfielders for pass completion – this could be improved over the coming years.
Why Liverpool should sign Morten Frendrup
With Mac Allister and summer signing Wataru Endo, aged 30, Liverpool's options in the deep-lying midfield right now, it's understandable that another player is being targetted.
The former is naturally played in a more creative role, while Endo was a surprise summer signing from German Bundesliga side Stuttgart for £16m in August, after the Reds' high-profile transfer battle with Chelsea for Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia leaving Klopp empty-handed and hot under the collar.
But having won the club's Player of the Month for December, Liverpool have proved themselves in the market once again with a shrewd purchase, and Frendrup could repeat the feat.
Earlier, it was highlighted that Frendrup's passing is one of the weaker facets to his game, but then the same could have been said for Endo last season.
Last year in Germany, Endo only completed 80% of his passes from defensive midfield; in the Premier League this season, he boasts an 87% pass success rate – with the right coaching and tools, Frendrup could emulate this.
Schmadtke pulled something of a blinder with this one, and under Klopp's guidance and among a crop of players challenging for a place at the forefront of European football, the Japan captain has developed and deepened his skill set despite his 30 years of age.
Klopp likes fluidity and he demands his players to have a combination of skills to effectively contribute to the system, while Endo is a bit more straightforward in his craft than say, Mac Allister or Bayern Munich's Joshua Kimmich (who has recently been linked with Liverpool), he has showcased his best qualities tremendously over the past few months.
In a world dominated by extravagant expenditure and high-profile rumours leading the discourse throughout the transfer window, Liverpool have often delved down the less-trodden path to secure players to improve Klopp's squad.
Admittedly, Endo was not the German manager's first choice, but with Caicedo yet to live up to the price tag and Lavia ravaged by injury in west London, the former Stuttgart star has shone.
The Kimmich's of the world would boost the Reds, there is no doubt about that, but Frendrup could be shaped into a true world-beater, and the Anfield side would not be foolhardy to repeat the feat with Frendrup, who has the trappings of a midfield machine in the making.
