After missing out on Martin Zubimendi, Liverpool could now look to turn towards a different midfield target and hijack a £36m deal involving Chelsea. 

Liverpool have got themselves into a tricky situation. Signing a no.6 has been a priority for the club for the last few years. Jurgen Klopp wanted to bring in Aurelien Tchouameni two years ago and then Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia last summer.

All of those deals fell apart. This time around Arne Slot, along with Liverpool's recruitment team had identified Martin Zubimendi as the ideal candidate for the no.6 role. However, once again it was rinse and repeat with the deal falling through after Zubimendi opted to stay at Real Sociedad.

Now Liverpool have just less than three weeks left until the window closes shut and they are running out of options to address Slot's midfield void.

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Why Liverpool could hijack Conor Gallagher deal

With the club running out of options to bring in a midfielder, the Reds could turn to a player who is already on the brink of leaving his current club and who Liverpool have admired in the past.

The Reds have been linked with Conor Gallagher in previous windows and the midfielder is currently available for a transfer away from Chelsea.

Gallagher has been training with the club's U21 side before travelling to Spain earlier this week as talks between Chelsea and Atletico Madrid took place for a £36m transfer.

However, those talks have collapsed with Gallagher now set to travel back to the UK. This leaves space for Liverpool to hijack the deal and bring him to Anfield instead.

Gallagher is not a traditional no.6. However, his energy could provide valuable ammunition in the midfield area and allow Slot to use Ryan Gravenberch or Alexis Mac Allister as makeshift no.6s rather than having to rely on them in both roles.

It would not be an ideal situation. But Liverpool have left it late and settling for Gallagher would not be the end of the world.