The Belgian has been a long-term target of Jurgen Klopp’s and as he sat out of Southampton’s opening matches of the season over recent weeks whilst negotiations took place, it looked increasingly likely he would become an Anfield recruit.
Though having been caught up in the Moises Caicedo drama that has ultimately seen Liverpool lose out on a British record player, the Athletic now report that Lavia has also opted for Chelsea as they used Caicedo as a smokescreen to steal a march on that front.
Mismanagement of the transfer window, being let down by the choices of individuals and other factors beyond the club’s control, there are equal shouts for all when assessing how the club find themselves in their current quandary as we enter the final three weeks of the 2023 summer transfer window.
However it has now been claimed by the Times’ Paul Joyce that there was an alternate history that could have unfolded, one that would have ultimately negated the current problem before it had time to grow.
In his latest update describing the situation as ‘desperate’, he revealed that Anfield chiefs were presented the chance of signing Enzo Fernandez – yes, the very same man that ran Chelsea’s midfield in Sunday’s one all draw – for a meagre £15m.
The other aspect of this statement that makes it so bewildering are the fees the World Cup winner has commanded since this alleged offering would have taken place. Fernandez first signed for Benfica in summer 2022 for the aforementioned price, was a breakout star of the winter World Cup before eventually moving to Stamford Bridge for a then-British record fee of £105m.
It is food for thought as to if Liverpool had cut out the middle man, how would things look heading into the 2023/24 campaign?
First on the list would be where the club would have finished last season. It’s hard to suggest one individual would have single-handedly inspired a top four finish, but the quality and availability of the player partnered with the lacklustre nature of performances hint a welcome boost would have been made.
Then it would have been how this summer’s business would have been handled. Alexis Mac Allister alongside his fellow Argentine would have been an exciting prospect, but would they have been too similar? The same thought goes for Dominik Szoboszlai.
Even if only one had been signed alongside Fernandez, both time and funds would have been freed to get the club’s strategy planned well before the summer to bring in a recognised No.6 ahead of the rivals also in the hunt for such a player in 2023.
