Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp will be largely satisfied with his summer rebuild after a miserable 2022/23 campaign, and despite impressing since the summer, the need for a specialist No. 6 is clear.
Indeed, Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai are all acquisitions tantalising success for years to come, but none fit the mould, though Mac Allister has been used from deep to combat the absence of a defensive star in the centre.
Wataru Endo was also signed after failing to convince Chelsea-bound duo Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia to make the move to Anfield, but the 30-year-old Japan international is not the convincing long-term solution.
Liverpool transfer news – Morten Frendrup
According to Get Italian Football News, Liverpool are interested in signing rising Danish star Morten Frendrup in 2024, with the Genoa ace cementing himself as one of the Serie A’s standout defensive midfielders since arriving from homeland side Brøndby in January 2022.
CIES Football Observatory’s valuation model reveals that Frendrup’s price tag amounts to around £9m at present, though it’s likely that his Italian outfit would issue demands of a far greater sum for his departure.
The 22-year-old helped Genoa achieve promotion to the Italian top-flight last season and has been instrumental in rising to midtable so far this year, and the Reds have taken note.
Morten Frendrup’s season by numbers
As per Sofascore, Frendrup has started all 12 of his side’s league encounters this term, earning three assists and completing 79% of his passes, also making a stunning average of 4.1 tackles and 6.9 ball recoveries per game, having succeeded in 69% of his duels.
With Genoa currently in 13th place – five points off the relegation zone – after 12 matches, the Denmark native’s importance is underscored, providing a sturdy foundation for his team.
He has been described as a “destroyer” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, who also hailed him as a “superb” and “extremely effective” prospect.
Given the need for a defensive midfielder at Anfield, it’s entirely possible that Frendrup is on Klopp’s radar, despite CBS Sports’ reporter Ben Jacobs claiming that he’s not on the radar, but if he is of interest, it could mean that Liverpool are faced with a decision for January, with summer target Andre still linked with a move.
How Morten Frendrup compares to Andre
Andre was of a vested interest to Liverpool in the summer but Fluminense’s progress in the Copa Libertadores prevented his departure, and while he opted to see out the season, he has been blessed with triumph in the esteemed South American tournament.
Frendrup may be the latest name to enter transfer circulation, and while his signature feels attainable for Klopp’s side should concrete attention be thrown Genoa’s way, the question remains whether he would be the better fit.
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 12% for blocks and the top 4% for assists per 90, emphasising his defensive strength and creative streak.
He does, however, need to work on his distribution as a whole, completing only 78% of his passes on average, which places him in the bottom 25 percentile.
Andre, in comparison, is rather on the other end of the spectrum in that regard, ranking among the top 1% of midfielders across divisions similar to the Brasileiro Serie A for pass completion, the top 2% for passes attempted and the top 12% for successful take-ons per 90.
Clearly, Andre is a natural with his ball-playing skills and would be the ideal replacement for maestro Thiago Alcantara, whose contract is up at the end of the campaign.
But, with that being said, certain claims have been made that the Anfield bosses are not interested in a mid-season move for the Brazilian, with perhaps the ball-playing skills of players such as Mac Allister and Gravenberch now negating the need for his skill set.
In Frendrup, Klopp could secure an exciting midfielder of the traditional mould at the base of the centre, and while he still needs work, his age and profile mean that he would be the perfect fit to enter the fray and fight for a place in the starting line-up.
