No Need to Panic after Missing out on Mkhitaryan

Liverpool’s well publicized pursuit of then Shakhtar Donetsk attacking midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan came to a disappointing end with the player instead signing for Champions League Runners-Up Borussia Dortmund. It is hard to argue that Dortmund were not the more attractive option, especially for one of the most promising up and coming midfielders in Europe. As frustrating as it was for the Reds to miss out on one of their top summer transfer targets, signing Mkhitaryan was not the be all and end all of Liverpool’s transfer plans.

While many fans are bitterly disappointed to have missed out on a player that seemed destined to sign for the club a short time ago, there was always the question of where Mkhitaryan would play in the team, and whether the potential signing impacted Luis Suarez’s future in any way with many believing that Liverpool could only afford Mkhitaryan if Suarez was sold.

Mkhitaryan is an extremely versatile attacking player which would have fit very well into Brendan Rodgers’ plans for the new season, but one look at the squad will show that there is very little space for the Armenian to play. With Steven Gerrard, Lucas, Daniel Sturridge and Philippe Coutinho automatically filling 4 of the 6 midfield and attacking positions in the team, and new signings Iago Aspas and Luis Alberto waiting to see exactly what their role in the team will be next season, fitting in Mkhitaryan could have proved to be difficult.

If Suarez is to leave which is looking more and more likely by the day, the Reds will most likely pursue a replacement which will without doubt take up another spot in the starting XI. This means that Mkhitaryan would have filled the attacking midfield position in front of Lucas and Gerrard while behind Coutinho, Sturridge and Suarez(’s replacement). There is little debate that Mkhitaryan would have improved the team dramatically having come off such a productive season in Ukraine where he scored 25 goals, but there are other players in the market who can fill that void, with the likes of Jordan Henderson and Luis Alberto providing diverse and more than adequate back-up.

The name on the lips of most fans is Ajax’s Christian Eriksen. The Dane has made clear his desire to leave the club this summer should a suitable offer come his way, but has also stated that if he does stay at Ajax for another season he will renew his contract so to make sure that the Amsterdam club does not lose him for nothing in the summer of 2014. The midfielder had an excellent season, scoring 13 goals in 45 appearances from a more withdrawn position than what Mkhitaryan was playing for Shakhtar. He is also widely considered one of the most promising up and coming youngsters in Europe, with Tottenham Hotspur and Borussia Dortmund also reported to be interested, although the latter may now drop their interest after the capture of Mkhitaryan.

Other options around Europe include Miralem Pjanic of Roma, Adem Ljajic of Fiorentina, Josip Ilicic of Palermo and even Brazil and Atletico Mineiro starlet Bernard who has been linked with a move to the club in recent days. If Liverpool were to sign a winger instead of a specialist attacking midfielder, expect Coutinho to move into the attacking midfield slot with the winger taking on his natural position out wide. Coutinho showed various times towards the end of the 2012-13 season that he was fully capable of orchestrating the attack from the middle of the park, and did not shy away from the physicality that usually prompts managers to play their smaller skillful players out wide where they are afforded more space.

There is no need for hysteria, Rodgers and the Liverpool scouting team will have drawn up a list of players they wanted to sign for each position this summer, and while Mkhitaryan may have been at the top of the attacking midfield list, there will be plenty of capable alternatives left on the list.

Liverpool have had to play a different role than they are used to in recent seasons with the lack of Champions League football proving to be a major hurdle in trying to attract some of the game’s most promising players. With top transfer targets consistently opting to sign for Champions League clubs, or Tottenham, the Reds have had to take a different and more pragmatic approach to their transfer policy. This involves signing promising youngsters or underrated talent, which is exactly what Rodgers has spent his money on so far this summer with the signings of Simon Mignolet, Aspas and Luis Alberto with the free transfer of Kolo Toure adding much needed experience to a youthful squad.

A marquee signing is always nice but not always necessary. Often times it can disrupt the dressing room and cause tension with players resenting “the new kid on the block” if you will. It always brings out optimism in the fan base but it is not always for the clubs best interest, and Rodgers should be very careful when considering who – if anyone – he signs to be his big marquee investment for the season.

The lack of Champions League football has been the bane of Liverpool’s existence in the transfer market in recent years, with the Reds struggling to attract top names to what is still a historic and extremely prestigious club. Losing out on Mkhitaryan is disappointing but not surprising considering the club he opted to sign for instead. With many other options on the horizon fans should think twice before going off the deep end and drowning in their own pessimism, especially with the transfer window only having been open for 11 days.  Big signings should be made, and even if they aren’t, Liverpool showed in the second half of last season that they have the potential to make a run for the top four as it is.