"I’m sure there will be more business before the window closes on Tuesday night, but I’d still like to see a defensive midfielder arrive," John Aldridge told liverpoolecho.co.uk. That is an awkward line for Liverpool after a £123m move for Bradley Barcola, because the glamour signing has not really changed the main concern around the squad. Two league games into the season, the attack looks expensive and the midfield still looks incomplete.
The number six issue has not gone away
Aldridge's argument is pretty simple. He likes the business, but he does not think the rebuild is finished.
His second point, also quoted by liverpoolecho.co.uk, was even more specific: "A younger, slightly better version of Wataru Endo - and, believe me, that’s no slight on the Japan international - would be ideal."
That lines up with what Daniel Sturridge said on the BBC, where he argued his old team has needed a defensive midfielder for three years. Liverpool have not had a genuine number six since Fabinho left in 2023, and that is not a small detail being dragged up for effect. It is the central squad-balance question again.
The early-season evidence supports it. Liverpool have conceded twice in both Premier League games so far. With only two matches played, nobody sensible should build a whole season forecast from that alone, but it does reinforce why so much of the conversation keeps circling back to midfield protection rather than another forward.
There is a fair counter. Liverpool have not ignored the squad, and this is not a club sitting still. The broader rebuild has been aggressive, the spending has been huge, and the age profile suggests a long-term plan rather than a short patch job. But spending big does not automatically mean every weakness has been fixed, and right now the hole people keep identifying is the same one.
Barcola changes the attack, not the debate
Barcola's fee is the headline figure of the window. Liverpool are paying £123m for a player they clearly believe can lift the front line, and GOAL's numbers from his time at Paris Saint Germain explain why: 39 goals and 37 assists in 152 appearances.
That profile is attractive, especially when paired with the money already committed to Florian Wirtz and other attacking additions. The combined fee for Wirtz, Isak and Barcola is £364m. Liverpool have leaned heavily into attack.
Still, Barcola has only two Premier League appearances so far, so the debate around him is less about immediate output than the shape of the squad around him. He may improve the side, but he does not solve the screening role in front of the defence. That is why the Aldridge point lands.
The same goes for the wider churn. Last summer, Liverpool sold players for £188m and finished the window with a net spend of £227m. This summer, their net spend is described as just under £200m after including Jeremy Jacquet's deal confirmed in January. Huge turnover can freshen a team up, but it can also leave awkward gaps if recruitment is weighted too heavily toward one area.
A thin margin before Europe starts
The fixture calendar will not give Liverpool much time to tidy this up quietly. Their Champions League campaign begins on 10 September, so the squad-depth conversation is about to move from theory to workload.
There are already warning signs there as well. Ronald Araújo arrived on loan after Joe Gomez's pre-season injury, while Giovanni Leoni and Conor Bradley are sidelined with long-term injuries. Liverpool manager choices in defence and midfield are already being shaped by availability, not only preference.
That is why the spending debate needs both sides of it. Barcola can still be a very good signing, and Liverpool's recruitment team are entitled to back elite young attackers when they think one is available. But the first part of the season has not killed the old complaint. It has given it fresh evidence.
Tuesday night's deadline is the obvious pressure point. Liverpool have spent enough to make the squad look transformed, yet the most convincing case around the team is still the one Aldridge made: they need a defensive midfielder before the window closes.
FAQ
Do Liverpool still need a defensive midfielder after signing Bradley Barcola?
The evidence in the first weeks of the season points that way. John Aldridge says he still wants a defensive midfielder before the window closes, Daniel Sturridge says the need has existed for three years, and Liverpool have conceded twice in both Premier League games so far.
Why are people still questioning Liverpool's squad balance after the Barcola transfer?
Because the biggest spending has gone into attack while the long-running number six issue remains. Liverpool paid £123m for Bradley Barcola and their combined outlay on Barcola, Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak is £364m, yet the side have already shipped two goals in each of their opening two league matches.
Has Liverpool replaced Fabinho since he left?
Not with a player widely seen as a genuine specialist in that role. The concern raised around Liverpool is that they have not had a true number six since Fabinho left in 2023, which leaves the midfield debate running into another transfer deadline.
How soon will Liverpool's squad depth be tested this season?
Very soon. Liverpool's Champions League campaign starts on 10 September, which means the squad will be pushed quickly. That matters even more with early defensive issues and injuries already affecting options in the group.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →
