Liverpool must make £70m move to sign ‘transformative’ midfielder – Opinion

Elliott Anderson: The Midfield Powerhouse Liverpool Cannot Ignore

There are summer targets, and then there are statements of intent. Elliott Anderson belongs firmly in the latter category.

The Nottingham Forest midfielder has quietly developed into one of the Premier League’s most relentless engines. Since arriving at the City Ground a couple of seasons ago, the Geordie has become the heartbeat of Forest’s midfield — combative, tireless, technically secure, and tactically intelligent. In a side frequently under pressure, Anderson has not merely survived; he has thrived.

Liverpool’s midfield evolution remains incomplete. For all the technical quality of Alexis Mac Allister and the sporadic brilliance of Ryan Gravenberch, there have been glaring deficiencies in steel, ball recovery, and transitional control. Too often the double pivot has been exposed. Too often the back line has received the ball under duress with limited central protection.

Anderson would change that dynamic immediately.

This is not just a ball-winner. He presses with aggression but reads danger before it escalates. He covers ground laterally, shields passing lanes, and recycles possession with maturity beyond his years. Crucially, he is comfortable receiving from a defence that is stretched, which is a trait Liverpool have sorely lacked when pressed high.

At 23, he combines athletic power with composure. He can play as the single defensive midfielder, anchor a midfield two, or operate as part of a three. His energy does not come at the expense of technical security. He can carry the ball through pressure, drive forward in transition, and release attacks with progressive passing.

Forest may be embroiled in a relegation battle, but Anderson’s level has remained constant. Whether they stay up or go down, Liverpool should be prepared to bid north of £70 million. That figure may raise eyebrows — but transformative midfielders are not acquired at discount rates.

Liverpool has spent recent seasons attempting to patch structural issues rather than solving them definitively. Anderson feels like a definitive solution.

Photo: IMAGO

The Alonso Transition and the Need for Control

Mohamed Salah’s anticipated departure signals more than the loss of goals. It represents the closing of an era and potentially a shift in identity. If Xabi Alonso takes charge, Liverpool’s tactical framework may evolve toward controlled aggression — structured pressing, intelligent possession, and midfield authority.

That authority has been inconsistent this season.

Mac Allister has struggled to reach previous heights following his summer operation. Gravenberch remains a player of moments — flashes that decorate highlight reels but rarely dictate matches. Dominik Szoboszlai thrives when given license to drive forward, not when burdened with defensive responsibility.

Anderson complements them all.

In a midfield three, he becomes the stabiliser allowing Szoboszlai to surge and Mac Allister to orchestrate. In a double pivot, he provides the steel and recovery pace that permits progressive full-backs or wing-backs to advance without fear of exposure. His physicality would ease pressure on the centre-backs. His composure would quicken transitions.

With Jeremie Frimpong already secured for the summer and conversations surrounding a successor to Salah progressing, the midfield must now become priority number one. Systems change. Managers rotate. Philosophies evolve. But control remains constant.

Anderson embodies control.

He is Premier League proven, positionally flexible, and psychologically resilient — forged in a relegation scrap where every duel matters. Those are the environments that shape leaders.

Liverpool do not need another luxury midfielder. They need ballast. They need endurance. They need presence.

Elliott Anderson should be the summer target.