‘Liverpool need 3-4 midfielders minimum’ according to 2005 Istanbul winner

Former Liverpool midfielder Dietmar Hamann believes Jurgen Klopp’s side need three or four midfielders minimum to be competing for major honours again.

Midfield has been an issue that fans and pundits have pointed towards consistently this season, with Hamann the latest to comment on the Reds’ engine room.

A lack of form compiled with injuries and has left Liverpool struggling in the middle of the park and the former German international believes the solution is to make multiple signings.

“I think they need another three or four midfielders, minimum. If you look at the midfield now I don’t think there’s an awful lot there. There’s talk about Bellingham; whether they can afford him I’m not too sure. Even if you don’t get Bellingham you’d probably need to spend between £200-250million in the summer because you need three or four midfielders.” Hamann claimed on TalkSport.

“I think it will be mighty, mighty tough, even if they spend £200-250million, which I think they have to, to have a team next season to be competitive. For me the most important position is the defensive midfield role. Next to Rodri, Fabinho was probably the best player in that position in the Premier League in the last five seasons but he hasn’t been playing well this season. Fabinho’s the wrong side of 30 now.

“A player I’d like to see is Declan Rice. He’s a player who can play there for the next five or six seasons, he gives stability, he’s a leader and he gives other players the freedom and the licence to get forward. If you asked me now would I buy Bellingham for £120million or Rice, who would probably be a little bit cheaper, for me it would be a no-brainer. With Bellingham I feel the jury’s still out.

“He’s a very talented player; when I watch him in Germany he’s very disciplined and he wouldn’t be able to do that in a big club in England. Out of Bellingham or Rice I’d take Rice all day long.”

Whereas three or four sounds like a tall order, it’s worth noting that Arthur Melo will return to Juventus after his loan deal ends and the contracts of Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are both up at the end of the season and it seems neither will be offered a new deal.

That leaves them needing at least two midfielders to replace them, plus at least one more big signing in the form of a Jude Bellingham - or someone of that ilk.

There’s also question marks over the likes of Fabio Carvalho and Curtis Jones, as both have struggled for minutes amid the team’s struggles.

The safe bet is that Liverpool will be in the market this summer and the priority will be central midfielders who possess those high-energy, all-action attributes that can ignite this team once again.