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Liverpool lost Gini Wijnaldum for free to Paris Saint-Germain last summer. However, the Reds didn't bring in a direct replacement for the Dutch midfielder, with French defender Ibrahima Konate being their sole major signing in last summer's transfer window.
The Dutch international played a vital role in the Reds' success over recent years, missing just 11 league games during his five-year stay at Anfield. The Merseyside-based club have missed out on his reliability this season as they suffered injuries to some of their key midfielders over the past few months.
Thiago, Naby Keita, Jordan Henderson and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain have all suffered injuries this season.
Liverpool are currently in the midst of an intense English Premier League title race with Manchester City and Chelsea. They are currently third in the league table, with 41 points from 19 league games.
Jurgen Klopp will look to add a new midfielder to the squad this month to compete against title rivals for the title during the second half of the season.
Right on that note, here's a list of three midfielders Liverpool could target during the January transfer window.
#1 Denis Zakaria
The Reds have been linked with Borussia Mönchengladbach midfielder Denis Zakaria over the past few weeks.
The Swiss international has been brilliant for the German side since arriving from Young Boys in 2017. He has played 118 league games for Monchengladbach thus far, scoring 11 goals in the process.
The 25-year old is a versatile player who is capable of playing as a defensive midfielder or as a centre-back if required. His key strengths are his passing, dribbling skills and positional awareness.
He has averaged 1.5 tackles, 1.2 interceptions and 1.2 clearances per 90 in the German top division this season. Apart from that, he has also registered an impressive passing accuracy of 90.1 per cent in the Bundesliga.
The former Young Boys midfielder is in the final year of his current contract with the Bundesliga club. Liverpool could sign him for a cut-price deal this transfer window.
#2 Renato Sanches
After struggling during his spells at Bayern Munich and on-loan at Swansea City, Renato Sanches revived his career at Ligue 1 club Lille FC. The Portugal international has played 53 league games since arriving in Northern France, scoring nine goals.
He was one of Lille's top performers during their Ligue 1 triumph last season. He has been in brilliant form this season as well, averaging 1.3 tackles, 2.6 dribbles and 1.4 key passes per 90 in the French top division so far.
Sanches has also contributed one goal and chipped in one assist for his teammates in 11 Ligue 1 appearances so far this season.
The 24-year old is a dynamic player who plays his best football when deployed as a box-to-box midfielder. He likes to beat opposing players with his exceptional dribbling skills while also having the vision to find his teammates in high goal-scoring positions.
However, AC Milan and Arsenal have also shown interest in signing Sanches in recent weeks. The Merseysiders will need to pay a hefty transfer fee to bring him to Anfield. However, the Portugal international possesses all the qualities needed to succeed under Jurgen Klopp at Anfield.
#1 Jude Bellingham
18-year old Jude Bellingham has established himself as one of the best young midfielders in the world since his £25 million move to Borussia Dortmund from Birmingham City in 2020.
The Stourbridge-born midfielder has played 42 league games for the German club this far, scoring three goals. He helped Dortmund win the DFB-Pokal last season and was also England's top performer during their run to the final of UEFA Euro 2020.
Bellingham is a highly technical player who possesses exceptional passing and dribbling skills. He has the vision to find his teammates in high goal scoring positions, while his ability to find space in tight situations will also help the Reds break low blocks.
The former Birmingham starlet has averaged 1.6 shots, 1.3 key passes, 1.4 tackles and 2 dribbles per game in the Bundesliga this season. Other than that, he also registered two goals and five assists.
However, the young English midfielder is currently among the most sought after footballers in Europe. The Merseysiders will possibly need to break their transfer record to sign him from Dortmund this month.
