If Liverpool prioritise one signing this summer, it should be a holding midfielder.

Succession planning for Mohamed Salah will take care of itself in time, while shortcomings at full-back are expected to be addressed one way or another.

Yet it is in midfield where the greatest difference can be made with the right recruitment. The choice to rebuild and reinforce that department carries greater weight than any other. Neglect it or, worse still, misjudge it, and the consequences could be felt long into next year.

As outgoing Premier League champions Liverpool labour towards the end of a sobering season, the reasons for their surprising drop-off continue to add up. In short, last summer’s extensive and expensive recruitment hasn’t worked (yet), a head coach who previously made game-changing decisions is struggling to come up with the answers, injuries have added up, and far too many players are underperforming.

Most notably, but certainly not alone, in the latter is Alexis Mac Allister, a midfielder now far too often at fault for sloppy mistakes that lead to goals.

He contributed to all the ones Manchester United scored in the 3-2 weekend defeat at Old Trafford, turning his back on a shot that deflected in off his backside early on, before misplacing a pass in the build-up to the second and then failing to clear the ball sufficiently in a moment that gifted United their decisive third. 

Unlike last season, Mac Allister is struggling to control the midfield area and no longer shines in the big games.

Statistically, he has dropped off in almost every department after playing a leading role in the title-winning campaign, and while previously he was among the most aggressive defensive players in Europe and scored high on front foot defending — a metric which covers tackles attempted, challenges attempted, fouls committed, interceptions plus blocked passes per 1,000 opponents touches — it’s now in those areas where he’s most lacking.

The stinging bite that made the now 27-year-old Argentina international such a nuisance for opponents has disappeared, as the below pizza charts detailing his past two seasons highlight.

Notice how there’s been a reduction in every department, most notably the four defensive ones.

According to figures published by Sky Sports, Mac Allister’s average speed and top speed are also both down on his previous two seasons. The pressing has dropped off, too, from 44.8 per game in 2023-24 to 38.1 currently.

Last season, his performances helped Ryan Gravenberch flourish in a deeper-lying role, but they are now having the opposite effect. To give Gravenberch the opportunity to return to his best, Liverpool need extra assistance alongside him, and after committing another five years to the 23-year-old Dutchman in March, that must become a priority this summer.

Whether that means moving on Mac Allister, who has two years left on his contract and is not in talks for an extension, or simply adding to the competition within the squad, remains to be seen.

You only have to look at Arsenal and their star performer Declan Rice to see the impact an all-action central midfielder can have on a team. Rice is available for almost every game, rarely lets his standards slip and as well as offering strong defensive cover, he chips in with vital goals and assists, and is a serious threat with his deliveries from set pieces.

Rice has starred with the additional support of Martin Zubimendi — a player Liverpool tried but failed to sign — alongside him, but also helped youngster Myles Lewis-Skelly flourish when he came back into the team alongside him in Saturday’s win against Fulham.

Several of Liverpool’s key players from last season have struggled for form in 2025-26 (Molly Darlington/Getty Images)

Mac Allister, of course, would benefit from a little assistance, too.

By featuring in 46 Premier League or Champions League games already this season, the 2022 World Cup winner has been overused by default, simply because of so many injuries across the team. With Dominik Szoboszlai and Curtis Jones both filling in at right-back for large parts and Wataru Endo among those sidelined, Liverpool’s only other midfield option is the 18-year-old Trey Nyoni, who despite his clear talent, is still developing physically and learning his trade at senior level.

Mac Allister also missed a chunk of pre-season, which didn’t help, but that was 10 months ago now. Even with his accumulation of minutes for Liverpool, former club Brighton & Hove Albion and Argentina over recent years, it was unthinkable that his form would dip to such an extent.

Predicting such drop-offs is difficult but after a season of struggle, Liverpool will know this area of the pitch needs addressing.

How much of Mac Allister’s struggles are down to the extra work needed to make up for the inclusion of the disappointing Florian Wirtz in the team is, of course, another factor. The German has failed to get to grips with the physicality of the Premier League since his move from Bayer Leverkusen last June, and that has impacted those operating around him.

Yet even if the Mac Allister returns to his best, the demands on the midfield will grow next season as Liverpool seek an improvement.

Adding another option there is important, especially as Jones’ long-term future is uncertain, Endo is now 33 and heading into the final year of his deal and Nyoni needs a loan move to kickstart his career with more first-team football. Even without any senior departures, Liverpool still need a new midfielder who can punch the ball forward with purpose while providing the team with more defensive cover and perhaps additional height (Mac Allister and Endo are 5ft 9in and 5ft 10in, respectively).

Endo-aside, it’s nearly six years since Liverpool signed a starting defensive midfielder, when they were able to bring in Thiago from Bayern Munich for £20million in September 2020. The intervening windows saw multiple targets slip by, including Aurelien Tchouameni when he opted to sign for Real Madrid from Monaco (2022) and Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia, who joined Chelsea from Brighton and Southampton respectively (both 2023).

Failing to land Zubimendi in summer 2024 was not down to money, as he decided to stick with hometown club Real Sociedad for another season before joining Arsenal. That failed pursuit opened up an opportunity for Gravenberch to fill in and under the guidance of Slot and assistant John Heitinga, his former Ajax Under-19s coach who had previously watched him play the position, he thrived.

Liverpool tried and failed to sign both Martin Zubimendi and Moises Caicedo in recent seasons (Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

Gravenberch is not totally free of blame this season, either, but of him and Mac Allister, he appears to be the most likely to improve again in the future.

Where Liverpool turn to find this new midfielder, of course, is another question.

Even if they stumble over the line to secure Champions League football for next season in the next three weeks, they are not in a position to pinch one of the best in the business from any direct Premier League rivals, which rules out Rice and Manchester City’s Rodri.

There’s no point in even getting started on any of Paris Saint-Germain’s midfield, or one of Bayern Munich duo Joshua Kimmich and Aleksandar Pavlovic. The Caicedo ship sailed long ago, Tchouameni recently said he’s keen to stay in Madrid, Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson appears to be heading elsewhere, Adam Wharton is going to be very expensive if he leaves Crystal Palace, and from there it’s a roll of the dice.

Newcastle United’s Sandro Tonali and Boubacar Kamara of Aston Villa are decent alternative options, although each also has his drawbacks, the latter being a series of injuries that have thwarted his progress.

If a plug-and-play holding midfielder is not an option, then Liverpool may have to get creative and look for the next best thing on the market. It could be the difference for them next season, with or without Mac Allister around.