Liverpool lining up the NEXT Martin Zubimendi to replace Ryan Gravenberch

Richard Hughes is lining up a deal for the next Martin Zubimendi to provide much needed cover for Ryan Gravenberch and replace some of his minutes.

There is no denying the Dutchman has been a revelation at Anfield this season. He's turned into a prime elite midfielder and has shown why some tipped him to have a really promising future when he broke onto the scene at Ajax.

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But there is a reason why the Reds wanted to bring in Martin Zubimendi last summer. Gravenberch alone is not enough for Arne Slot and that is becoming apparent as the season has started to unravel.

Gravenberch has been overused in the starting line-up and fatigue has started to catch up with him. He is going to miss the Netherlands Nations League fixtures due to injury and remains a question mark for Liverpool's derby game at Anfield against Everton.

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That is a sign Liverpool need to invest in another midfielder and the club may already have the perfect player on their radar.

Why Javi Guerra is Liverpool's next Martin Zubimendi

It's another Spanish midfielder with Javi Guerra the perfect option for Liverpool. He is the next best midfielder from La Liga after Zubimendi and has many similar qualities to the Real Sociedad midfielder.

Unsurprisingly TBR has recently linked the Reds with a move for Guerra earlier this season, so he's already on Richard Hughes' radar. Anfield Watch also understands that he was viewed as an alternative to Zubimendi last summer but the Reds opted not to pursue a move but it seems that they have continued to monitor him ever since.

The Valencia midfielder is still only 21 years old and has bags of potential. Even in a really poor Valencia side fighting for relegation he has been able to stand out for his technical qualities and reading of the game.

He is also a player who covers a lot of ground and would be a really seamless fit into Arne Slot's system.

What Liverpool need is basically another Gravenberch, someone who Slot can trust to maintain the same level of performances and play the same role in the starting line-up.

According to SciSports this might be Guerra who has a 99% similarity to Gravenberch in his playing style. To make matters even more enticing for Liverpool.

Last season, Valencia were ready to sell him to Atletico Madrid for just €30m but in the end the move fell through with the latter team deciding to sign Conor Gallagher instead.

Nonetheless, considering Valencia's poor form, Guerra's price tag is unlikely to have risen much and if his price remains the same this summer that is a very cost-effective fee for a player showing great potential.

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It's the kind of opportunistic transfer Michael Edwards has been renowned for and now Richard Hughes can follow his predecessor and complete one of these deals himself.

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