John Aldridge begs Arne Slot to forget about his ‘vision’ and address summer transfer ‘priority’ | OneFootball

John Aldridge believes that the signing of a defensive midfielder must be Liverpool’s ‘priority’ for the summer transfer window.

Despite spending almost £450m on new additions to the squad last year, FSG will be under pressure to finance another substantial outlay in the upcoming market after a dismal season on the pitch for the Reds, who went from champions to fifth in the space of 12 months.

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There’s a notable gap to be filled on the right wing after Mo Salah’s departure, and enhanced squad depth is essential after a series of lengthy injuries in the 2025/26 campaign, but the former LFC striker believes the addition of a number 6 is of the utmost importance.

Aldridge: New no.6 must be Liverpool’s transfer priority

In his latest column for the Liverpool Echo, Aldridge wrote: ‘For me, the priority simply has to be a holding midfielder. I know that might not fit into Arne Slot’s overall vision of wanting progressive players in the centre of the park, but we need someone who is going to protect the back four.

‘Liverpool have almost always had one such player in their team. Don’t forget, it was the signing of Fabinho in 2018 that turned us from challengers to champions.

‘The back four was left exposed far too often over the season with the midfield simply much too open. Ryan Gravenberch is a good player but we’ve seen over the last 12 to 18 months that he isn’t a number six, and having one in the team would release him further upfield.

‘Alexis Mac Allister could have done the job but he is unrecognisable compared to the player of previous years and there’s no guarantee he will ever get back to that level.’

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Which no.6 options could Liverpool realistically seek to bring in?

Ideally, Liverpool would only require minor tweaking to their squad this summer rather than extensive fixes across several positions, but we share Aldridge’s pleas for a natural defensive midfielder to be recruited.

The double act of Gravenberch and Mac Allister deeper in midfield worked wonders in Slot’s first season in charge, but it was nowhere near as effective in the 2025/26 campaign as opponents played through the middle of us at will.

It’s little wonder that the Reds conceded an embarrassing tally of 53 goals in the Premier League this term, and while there are numerous factors for that unacceptable statistic, it almost certainly would’ve been lower if there was a true number 6 to halt opposition attacks at source.

It therefore makes perfect sense that Liverpool continue to be linked with Adam Wharton, who’s excelled in that position in the English top flight, with Lens midfielder Mamadou Sangare also being cited as an ideal summer transfer target.

Slot might have come to Anfield two years ago with a commitment to favouring progressive players in the middle of the park, but Aldridge is right in saying that the past few months must surely prompt a rethink towards recruiting a bespoke defensive midfielder and making LFC far less vulnerable than they had been in 2025/26.