Former Liverpool player Don Hutchinson believes the Reds would be unstoppable in the Premier League this season if they had signed Declan Rice instead of Arsenal last summer.

The Gunners paid a total of £105m to snap up the England international from West Ham back in July and Hutchinson says the addition of the midfielder could have proven to be a deciding factor in the title race:

“I have loads of mates who are Liverpool fans, and they are envious, if they had got Declan Rice, imagine that Liverpool team. They would’ve won it, it would’ve been over by March.”

Hutchinson may have been exaggerating slightly but it’s obvious where Liverpool’s weakest link is. They didn’t really replace Fabinho following the Brazilian’s departure for Saudi Arabia.

Liverpool’s midfield summer signings are not ideally suited to the no.6 position

Despite bringing in four midfielders during the summer transfer window, none of them are what you would call a traditional holder.

Alexis Mac Allister has played as part of a double pivot for Brighton and Argentina so he can do a job there but he is at his best playing slightly further forward. Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai don’t have the attributes to play in the position.

Wataru Endo is the player that many believe fits the profile, but his age and lack of pace means he can be found wanting at the very highest level.

Will Liverpool buy a midfielder in January?

If the Reds are to maintain any sort of title challenge, you would think that recruiting a holding midfielder would be a top priority.

However, all the indications suggest that there won’t be much activity in the transfer market next month. We shall have to wait and see whether that changes.

Watch a preview of Liverpool’s plans for the January transfer window on Shots!TV here