FSG may eventually acquire Fabinho replacement when Liverpool makes a move for the £35 million enforcer.

This month, the Reds have been mentioned as having an interest in the defensive midfielder.

In less than a week, the January transfer window will close, and as of this writing, Liverpool has not added even one senior player to their roster.

After 20 games, the Reds sit two points clear of Manchester City in second place in the Premier League, so it doesn’t seem like Jurgen Klopp needs to add anyone to bolster his team.

If they defeat Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium later today, they might increase their advantage to five points—even though they have one more game than their opponents.

Fabinho, James Milner, Jordan Henderson, Naby Keita, and other midfield players were among those who left during the summer transfer window, making Klopp a very busy man.

Wataru Endo, Ryan Gravenberch, Dominik Szoboszlai, and Alexis Mac Allister took their places, although Liverpool hasn’t signed a clear successor to take Fabinho’s spot as a holding midfielder.

The hunt for a defensive midfield player by Liverpool

According to a recent rumour from La Gazzetta dello Sport, which TEAMtalk cited, the Reds are among the teams considering a move to sign Atalanta star Ederson

Newcastle United, a team in the Premier League, was also rumoured as being interested in signing the Brazilian enforcer. However, it is unclear if Newcastle United plans to sign the gifted player this month or during the summer transfer window.

The source did add, though, that Liverpool’s pursuit of Ederson may be hampered by Juventus’ preparedness to make a major move to recruit Dutch midfielder Teun Koopmeiners at the end of the current campaign.

The Reds may need to move quickly to finalise a deal for their man before the Old Lady can sign the Netherlands international because Atalanta is reportedly hesitant to cash in on both of their midfield talents.

It was claimed earlier this month that Ederson is also attracting interest from Manchester United and Barcelona, and that the Italian team would be willing to let him go if they received a bid of around £35 million.

It is now unclear if Liverpool will wait and try their luck in the summer, or if they are willing to pay £35 million to sign the gifted young player this month.

If FSG approves a deal for the 24-year-old fighter, they may finally be able to replace Fabinho with Klopp. The right-footed ace is an excellent combative midfielder who can recover possession for his team quickly and move the ball forward.

The significance of Fabinho to Liverpool

The Brazil international was a fantastic ball-winner who made contributions both in and out of possession while he played at the base of Liverpool’s midfield.

Fabinho participated in 28 of the 38 Premier League games during the team’s championship-winning 2019–20 campaign. He stood out with 3.4 tackles and interceptions per game.

He was one of the finest in his position when it came to stopping rival assaults by getting his foot in to win the ball; in fact, he was in the top 15% of midfielders in the division for tackles (2.68) per 90 that season.

This indicates that Fabinho was not as good of a defender as the towering behemoth was at the height of his abilities, but he was still a trustworthy player when in possession, giving Klopp an 89% pass success rate in the middle of the field.

Finally, FSG may be able to bring in his countryman Ederson this month or at the end of the season to replace the Brazilian battler who left last summer.

The statistics demonstrating why Ederson might take Fabinho’s place

This season, the Atalanta star has been playing at an elite level for the Italian team, showcasing his skills both in and out of possession as a number six.

He is a fantastic defensive player for Serie A and possesses the skill with the ball to be an asset for Liverpool on the other side of the pitch.

"He is 24-years-old, strong and well built central midfielder" 👤

South American football expert Tim Vickery discusses what to expect from Atalanta midfielder Éderson, who has been linked with a move to Newcastle 🇧🇷 pic.twitter.com/SS1lejtPFJ

— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) January 16, 2024

In his 20 league games for Atalanta, Ederson has averaged 3.9 tackles, interceptions, and 5.6 ball recoveries per game while only being dribbled past 0.5 times per game.

In the Premier League thus far this season, no Liverpool midfield player has amassed more than 3.2 tackles and interceptions per game.

The 24-year-old dynamo leads all Serie A midfielders this season in both tackles (2.71) and interceptions (1.46) per 90 possessions, placing him in the top 12% of players.

According to these stats, he is among the most effective players in the division at regaining possession for his team. Given his propensity to shut down opposition attacks, it is possible that the £35 million-rated player will make a fantastic defensive midfielder for the Reds.

As you can see from his results in a number of important attacking stats below, Ederson also possesses the ability to influence games at the top end of the pitch for Atalanta.

Ederson is a complete midfielder because he can combine excellent defensive play with noteworthy contributions on the ball. U23 scout Antonio Mango called Ederson “fun” to watch.

At 24, he still has time and potential to develop. If FSG can sign him, he could become a long-term addition to Liverpool’s team and start as their defensive midfielder for many more years to come, eventually taking Fabinho’s place in the middle of the midfield.