There is a glaring issue within the Liverpool squad which if the club are to achieve anything this season, simply has to be addressed in the January transfer window.

That, of course, is in the middle of the park where the Reds have struggled significantly.

Jurgen Klopp and FSG ignored that third of the pitch until transfer deadline day in the summer, bringing in Arthur Melo.

Sadly, the Brazilian has only made one appearance since joining as a result of injury. That factor has plagued the squad this term, leaving Klopp rather hamstrung when it comes to his midfield options.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita are both out of contract at the end of the current season while Jordan Henderson, James Milner and Thiago Alcantara are now all in their 30s.

Although the latter will never lose his class, injuries have also troubled him throughout the current term.

After the World Cup, the name on the lips of most Liverpool fans will certainly be Jude Bellingham.

Clubs the world over will be queuing up for the teenager’s signature next year but the Reds could find an alternative in Enzo Fernandez.

The Argentine has also caught the eye in Qatar, scoring a delightful goal in their win over Mexico before assisting in the victory against Poland.

Reports in recent days suggest that the Reds already have a pre-agreement in place with the Benfica midfielder over a possible deal in 2023, with any such move potentially costing in the region of a whopping £103m.

Dubbed a “cheat code” by one source for his performances on the big stage this autumn, he has all the hallmarks of being the club’s perfect Thiago replacement.

The Spaniard possesses plenty of poise and grace, sitting in the top 8% of positionally similar players across Europe’s top five leagues for pass completion (89.4) while he also ranks in the best 2% of midfielders for passes completed per 90 minutes (82.66) and the top 1% for progressive passes per 90 (7.34).

These stats are incredibly similar to Fernandez, albeit the 21-year-old is compared to those in the world’s next-best eight leagues outside of the big five by FB Ref.

Across those divisions, the Argentina international is in the top 11% for pass completion (87.1%). That is slightly below Thiago but in the other metrics already assessed, the Spaniard is actually defeated.

Compared to Liverpool’s classy number 6, Fernandez completes a whopping 96.83 passes per 90, 9.50 of which are progressive passes. Both of those figures mean the talented youngster ranks in the very best 1% of players.

Couple that with his ability to score goals and create for his teammates, numbers seen by his three goals and five assists this term, and you have a rather fine player.

Given the sheer lack of depth in central areas for the Reds, the pair could well play together. That said, with Thiago not getting any younger, it feels as though Julian Ward would be signing the Spain international’s natural heir.