Liverpool’s Summer Midfield Stance Raises Questions Amid Slot’s Early Success

When Liverpool failed to secure Martín Zubimendi from Real Sociedad last summer, some fans feared another season of instability in midfield. Fast forward to April 2025 and Arne Slot’s side sits within reach of silverware, largely due to a surprise midfield evolution: Ryan Gravenberch.

Gravenberch has become integral to Liverpool’s tactical setup, redefining himself in a deeper defensive role. The Dutchman has started all 30 Premier League fixtures this campaign, with over 2,500 minutes logged. That’s more than double his output under Jürgen Klopp the previous season. According to Opta, only Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk have played more minutes for the Reds this term.

His consistency has not gone unnoticed. “That call appears to have been vindicated with Gravenberch’s outstanding season,” David Ornstein wrote in his Athletic column. And vindicated it may well be—at least from a club perspective. But from a fan’s lens, there’s still a looming sense of fragility beneath the surface.

Endo’s Role Sparks Mixed Signals

Wataru Endo, signed last summer from Stuttgart, was heralded as a short-term solution—a veteran to plug defensive holes. Yet under Arne Slot, he’s become more of a specialist than a starter.

Despite the manager’s glowing praise—Slot called him an “unbelievable attitude” player—Endo has only clocked 713 minutes in the league, featuring in just 19% of total game time. A closer inspection reveals a trend: 15 of his 23 appearances have come as late-game substitutions, usually to protect a lead or control tempo.

Ornstein points out that “Endo’s contributions” have been valued internally, but the numbers don’t quite match the sentiment. For fans, it’s hard not to view Endo as under-utilised, particularly during that demanding nine-match stretch featuring Manchester City, PSG, and Newcastle, when Gravenberch was visibly fatigued.

No Urgency for Midfield Additions

In what will be seen by some supporters as a worrying reveal, Ornstein reports that midfield is not a priority area for Liverpool this summer. He writes: “This doesn’t seem to be a department at the top of their priority list, and – if that’s the case – you can understand why.”

Ornstein adds that Liverpool’s pursuit of Zubimendi was not born from desperation, but opportunity. “Zubimendi was viewed as a ...