The Wolves transfers that could open the door for Liverpool this summer

Now the dust has finally settled on the January transfer window, Liverpool fans may be disgruntled that their club only brought in PSV forward Cody Gakpo rather than a midfielder - which is sorely needed - but how could Wolves’ January business give them hope for a summer move for one of their midfield targets?

We’ve just seen Julian Lopetegui’s side acquire three new midfielders in the window to boost their chances of Premier League survival and whilst fans of the Midlands club will no doubt be pleased, we believe that it could mean that one of Ruben Neves or Matheus Nunes could be available in the summer as a result.

Both have been linked with a move to Liverpool, with Nunes being a key target over the summer, as well as January, before completing his move to Wolves from Sporting Lisbon. Plus, Neves’ deal expires in under 18 months and he has also been linked with a move to Anfield and it stands to reason that Wolves would want to cash in on him in the summer, before he enters the final year of his deal.

The additions of Pablo Sarabia, Mario Lemina and, most importantly, Joao Gomes, are three players who can play in varying roles across midfield. Signing Gomes was a big coup for Wolves, as the former Flamengo midfielder was being eyed as a replacement for Enzo Fernandez at Benfica.

Perhaps given all the noise around Nunes or Neves leaving in the summer, Wolves have managed to prepare adequately for one of their potential departures. However, Joao Moutinho’s deal will expire in the summer and it’s unclear whether they will agree to an extension at this current time, so bringing in three signings will also help to cover that potential issue.

If one of Neves or Nunes does leave its likely that both will warrant a fairly sizeable fee - a fee big enough to reinvest into another midfielder, so whichever you spin it, there’s a reasonable chance that Wolves could be persuaded to part ways with one of their star men if Liverpool came calling.

This comes off the back of reports that Liverpool will have £200-250m to spend in the summer and there is a budget set aside from the Jude Bellingham money to go and acquire at least one, if not two, new midfielders. Especially considering that Naby Keita, James Milner and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are all out of contract come the summer.

Nunes would bring a driving force to Klopp’s side with his ball-carrying abilities; his statistics for dribbles completed, touches in the opposition box and progressive passses received are all in the upper tiers for midfielders in Europe, but he’s being held back in a Wolves side that are the league’s lowest scorers. In Liverpool’s side where they will play on the front foot more and look to be incisive on the break, he could fit perfectly as the most advanced midfielder in Klopp’s 4-3-3.

For Neves, he’s thrived as a deeper playmaker, operating in defensive midfield or just slightly further forward. Alongside two other hard-working midfielders in a 4-3-3, he could sit as the lone defensive midfielder, using his strong passing range to switch the ball quickly to the likes of Luis Diaz or Mohamed Salah with ease. At 25, he’s ready to take the next step in his career and he stated this last summer to The Athletic.

Both players would be welcome at Liverpool, as the likes of Thiago, Fabinho and Jordan Henderson have all struggled to reach anywhere near their top form this season. Plus, there’s question marks over whether Harvey Elliot is the right fit for the midfield three at the current time - but he has impressed this season despite Liverpool’s struggles.

The same can’t be said for Curtis Jones who has really struggled to make any sort of impact, playing just 329 minutes so far this season.

Whereas this is all mostly speculation right now, the fact that the summer has to be the centre for a midfield re-build (as reported) opens the door for Liverpool to revisit their interest in one of Nunes or Neves, as Klopp looks to revitalise his engine room that has been the bedrock of their many successes over the years.