Liverpool are understood to be maintaining a watching brief on Genoa’s Morten Frendrup, according to Paul Gorst.
The Danish footballer is one of several players the Reds are keeping a close eye on to fill the holding midfield role for the long term.
“Speaking to people at the club and people outside the club, it seems he’s one who Liverpool are looking at,” the Liverpool Echo reporter told Josh Sexton on The Anfield Wrap’s Talking Transfers show.
“I would probably caveat with [the fact that] they are looking at loads at the moment. I don’t know if there is a particular frontrunner for the long-term defensive midfield position.
“We know Liverpool tried to get Moises Caicedo back in the summer, tried to get Romeo Lavia, they very much would have been long-term fixtures for that position.
“Wataru Endo at the age of 30 and at a little bit of a cut-price deal probably isn’t. Though, if you’re asking me, I think he’s first-choice on that teammate in that position at the moment.
“But Frendrup’s someone who seems to be having a good year at Genoa, and the people I’ve spoken to [have said] Liverpool are looking at him at the moment.
“The big drawback from people I speak to at the club is that the homegrown issue is very much there.”
The journalist went on to add: “Maybe one to keep an eye on. Not for January but maybe in the summer. We’ll see how he gets on in the second-half of the season and how he develops.
“One of several who Liverpool are looking at I’d suggest.”
Alexis Mac Allister is set to slot back into the No.6 position following his return to the pitch in a brief but thrilling cameo against Newcastle United on Monday.
What do Liverpool need from their long-term holding midfielder?
Ideally, a combination of Wataru Endo and our No.10’s traits would hand us quite the formidable holding midfielder.
The former’s defensive attributes in combination with the ex-Brightonian’s progressive traits and reliability on the ball are a must.
In the meantime, we’re unsure whether Frendrup fits the bill in this regard.
Statistically, he’s certainly far from being as reliable on the ball as either one of Enndo or Mac Allister, which would have to be a serious concern for Liverpool’s recruitment team.
One to keep an eye in case he develops more positively in this area, but a January move may be premature.
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Having seen him several times, he’s not good enough on the ball. He’s great at breaking up play and covering the defence, but at 22 he’s not going to suddenly develop a wider range of distribution skills.