One of the top young midfield talents globally is reportedly on the transfer market. Liverpool, this is your chance.
We maintain that Liverpool is in need of a new midfielder. However, with this transfer window drawing to a close and uncertainty surrounding Curtis Jones‘ potential departure, it seems unlikely.
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Nonetheless, it doesn’t change the fact that Liverpool struggled significantly in midfield last season. On paper, the players weren’t terrible individually—they simply didn’t replicate their previous season’s form, though they weren’t abysmal on their own.
Together as a unit? Not up to the mark. This issue arises from constructing a midfield predominantly made up of attacking players, which includes Jones, Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch, and Dominik Szoboszlai, all of whom were known for their attacking capabilities before joining Anfield.
None excel at regaining possession, and few are natural midfield orchestrators. While Jones has potential on the ball, relying on him for consistency in performance is a gamble.
What Liverpool truly requires is a commanding, defensive midfielder—someone reliable who can provide a solid foundation to build upon.
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It’s noteworthy to mention that Foot Mercato reports that RB Leipzig is pursuing Strasbourg‘s Samir El Mourabet. The 21-year-old has somewhat flown under the radar this summer, primarily because he is seen as the second-most promising Moroccan defensive midfielder in France, after Ayyoub Bouaddi.
Bouaddi, who is two years younger than El Mourabet, is considered by many to be a brighter prospect. However, when it comes to defensive midfielders right now, El Mourabet has the edge and could potentially address Liverpool’s issues.
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Value Proposition: Samir El Mourabet
The Value Adder model ranks El Mourabet as the third most defensively impactful midfielder in Ligue 1 last season, placing him fifth overall among all players in the French top tier, just behind Mamadou Sangaré from RC Lens, another player of interest.
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Bouaddi, to note, ranks 9th among all players. The aforementioned trio represents the only players under 25 in the top 10, while El Mourabet and Bouaddi are the only ones under 23. Adding Warren Zaire-Emery highlights that they are the sole three under 22 in the top 20.
This analysis pertains to seasonal values. If we look at per-90 statistics, El Mourabet was the second-best defensive player in Ligue 1 last season, only surpassed by Benjamin Andre of Lille.
© IMAGO
Evaluating the top five leagues, it is clear El Mourabet stands out as the best defensive midfielder aged 21 and under. He is a true standout: no other player can match him in terms of per-90 metrics or full-season value.
© IMAGO
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So, how does El Mourabet excel? He’s consistently impressive. Last season, he was the only midfielder in France—regardless of age—to rank in the top 10% for both weighted defensive actions (per 90 minutes) and duel win percentage.
© IMAGO
What makes El Mourabet particularly appealing is his reliability with the ball. Last season, only one midfielder in France surpassed him in both pass accuracy and dribbling success: Vitinha.
He averages nearly 60 passes per 90 minutes and attempts around 1.2 dribbles—promising metrics for a young defensive midfielder. And this is the real allure: El Mourabet is just 21.
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His defensive capabilities are remarkable for his age and position, showcasing skills on and off the ball, and inexplicably, he remains underappreciated.
Strasbourg has a gem on their hands in El Mourabet, who we firmly believe could soon be in the conversation as one of the best defensive midfielders in the world. Now is the time to make a move.