Liverpool could sign exciting £59m alternative to Ederson

Liverpool recovered under Jurgen Klopp last season and clinched a Champions League-qualifying place in the Premier League, also winning the Carabao Cup with a last-gasp Virgil van Dijk goal against Chelsea.

But they were a day late and a dollar short in the top-flight title race, also falling in the FA Cup and Europa League against eventual winners Manchester United and Atalanta.

Klopp’s departure after nearly nine years of unforgettable football heightened expectations but, all in all, Liverpool enjoyed an excellent campaign, but now, under Arne Slot, Anfield must make further improvements to raise their game next term.

While concrete news is thin at this early stage, The Athletic’s James Pearce has stated that signing a centre-back and a defensive midfielder should be among Liverpool’s chief concerns this summer.

Liverpool lining up new midfielder

According to Sport Zone, Liverpool are close to agreeing a deal in principle with Atalanta hero Ederson, having scouted the Brazilian all season.

However, Pearce has quashed such claims by revealing that French sources are wide of the mark. This might come as a negative for Liverpool supporters but it does suggest that securing an upgrade on Wataru Endo is being explored.

And given that Tutto Juve have revealed this week that Liverpool pose the biggest threat to Juventus in their bid to sign Douglas Luiz from Aston Villa, who is valued at €70m (roughly £59m), it’s perhaps understandable that Slot and Co are pushing for an alternative to the Atalanta man.

Why Liverpool should sign Douglas Luiz over Ederson

Liverpool completed a sharp deal in signing Endo from Stuttgart for £16m last summer, having failed rather bleakly in bids to sign Romeo Lavia and Moises Caicedo, both of whom wound up at Chelsea.

But FSG still sanctioned a £111m outlay for Caicedo, who “has the potential to become one of the best” midfielders, according to Mauricio Pochettino. This denotes the ambition that could see a big name greeted on Merseyside.

And that signature may well belong to Luiz, who was described as “one of the Premier League’s standout midfielders” throughout the 2023/24 campaign by Villa reporter Jacob Tanswell, instrumental in Unai Emery’s side’s top-four finish.

The 26-year-old scored ten goals and supplied ten assists in all competitions but don’t let this deceive you: the Brazil international is a first-rate holding midfielder and his attacking strength simply demonstrates how dynamic and far-reaching his skill set really is.

Ederson is also a high-class midfielder and he showcased this in Piero Gian Gasperini’s team this season, but he’s not “one of the best 6s“, unlike Luiz, who was described as such by football content consultant Adam Gilks.

League Stats 23/24: Douglas Luiz vs Ederson
Stat (per 90)	Douglas Luiz	Ederson
Matches played	35	36
Matches started	35	32
Goals	9	6
Assists	5	1
Pass completion	89%	84%
Big chances created	10	2
Key passes	1.5	0.5
Ball recoveries	5.3	5.2
Tackles	1.7	2.3
Duels won	4.2 (51%)	4.8 (55%)
Dribble attempts	0.7 (60%)	0.6 (55%)
All stats via Sofascore

While Atalanta’s tough-tackling titan appears to be ahead of his countryman in pure defensive metrics, this is not a long shot and the more complete style of Luiz could work far better for a team such as Liverpool, who will focus on ball-playing dominance and fast transitions under Slot’s philosophy.

Luiz can hold his own against the best at the base of the engine room but his elite passing game and creative flair make for a much better fit, and Liverpool must invest time and energy into beating Juventus and securing the signature of a top-class Premier League star, proven at the highest level of the English game.