Forget Lucas: Liverpool Should Target These Three Defensive Midfielders

There was no doubt that had Liverpool won the Premier league Title, the Reds would certainly have been worthy winners. Brendan Rodgers’ side displayed some of the best attacking football in recent memory, but unfortunately were beaten at the last hurdle by a resurgent and a deserving Manchester City side. The Merseyside club though will strengthen in the summer and Rodgers has already hinted that he will pursue players from the highest echelons of European contingent. It appears that the Reds are in dire need to strengthen their central defensive midfield and with Lucas Leiva’s future at Anfield looking uncertain we take a look at three available players who can ceaselessly fit into this impressive and tactically flexible Reds unit.

Emre Can:

Liverpool’s interest in the Bayer Leverkusen player has been confirmed by a host of English dailies and even the German’s club’s sporting director Rudi Voller has revealed the Reds are keen on securing Can’s signature. The 20 year old’s price is believed to be at £12m, which given his tender age of 20 would mean good business for the Reds. Can has featured in 36 appearances for the Bay Arena side this season scoring 3 goals and grabbing the same number of assists but most importantly his versatility would be something which keep Liverpool interested. Can could also be sought as a long term replacement for captain Steven Gerrard who is not getting younger by each passing day.

Alex Song:

A mass exodus is set to follow at Barcelona as new manager Luis Enrique has already indicated and one of the players who could head for the Camp Nou exit gate is former Arsenal midfielder Alex Song.  The Cameroonian is yet to muster a starting eleven spot for the Blaugrana and given his Premier League experience, Liverpool could snap him up for a cut price deal. However the Reds will face severe competition from Arsenal, Manchester United and Tottenham if the player decides to come back to the Premier League. Song is no doubt a ferocious tackler possessing an immense work rate and have the capability to pick diagonal balls for the wingers from deep inside the own half, a role which Xabi Alonso flourished in at Merseyside.

Morgan Schneiderlin:

A sad disintegration of Southampton looks imminent with a host of players and their impressive manager Mauricio Pochettino looking to depart from the south coast club in the summer. One of those players who have been linked by the rumour mill with a move is Frenchman Morgan Schneiderlin, whose impressive performances has earned him a provisional World Cup in Didier Deschamps’ Les Blues. The player who is immensely versatile in the middle of the park featured in 33 games this season and can play either as central defensive midfielder and also as a carrier in the centre of the park.