Liverpool's Midfield Dilemma: Orozco Ruled Out
Liverpool’s search for midfield steel will not lead them to Colombia’s latest prodigy, with Matias Orozco effectively ruled out as an Anfield option and handed what’s been described as a “zero per cent chance” of joining the Reds.
Carragher turns up the heat on Liverpool’s midfield
The new Andoni Iraola era has begun in stuttering fashion. Liverpool scraped a late point at St. James’ Park against Newcastle United, but the performance only sharpened the focus on a midfield that still looks unbalanced and uncertain.
Jamie Carragher did not hold back. The former Liverpool defender tore into the display, highlighting Ryan Gravenberch’s positioning and questioning whether Dominik Szoboszlai can truly operate in a double pivot.
“I think Liverpool do need someone alongside Gravenberch,” Carragher said, before stressing that the answer is not just a pure destroyer. “It doesn't necessarily have to be a player who can't get on the ball, who's just tackling and stopping players.
“If you play for one of the top teams in the world, like Liverpool are, you need to be able to get hold of the ball: but I want someone in [the midfield] who can run, and I just think Szoboszlai has to go to the no.10.”
Those words cut to the heart of Liverpool’s current dilemma: they need control and legs, not just another luxury technician.
Orozco off the table as Liverpool look wide, not deep
Despite that glaring need at the base of midfield, Liverpool’s recruitment drive is currently angled elsewhere. A move for Yankuba Minteh is close, Bradley Barcola has been a recurring name throughout the window, and the club’s energy is clearly drifting towards adding another winger.
That leaves Orozco on the outside looking in.
Colombian journalist Pipe Sierra has made it clear: the 18-year-old will not be heading to Anfield. Earlier reports from local outlet VBar Caracol suggested the Deportivo Cali talent was close to a switch to Merseyside, but those claims now look premature at best.
The Barranquilla-born deep-lying playmaker burst into Deportivo Cali’s first team last season and quickly drew attention across Europe. His profile – a young, composed operator in front of the back four – seemed tailor-made for a club searching for a long-term anchor.
Yet Liverpool are not at the table. Not now.
Premier League queue forms for Colombian wonderkid
If Liverpool are stepping away, others are not. Bournemouth, Crystal Palace, Newcastle United, Everton, Aston Villa, Fulham and Manchester City have all been mentioned as admirers of Orozco, with interest spreading across the Premier League.
City, for their part, have already dipped into the South American market again, tying up a deal for Palmeiras winger Allen, underlining a strategy that keeps them locked in on emerging talent from the continent.
Outside the traditional elite, Leeds United and Brentford have also been floated as potential landing spots for Orozco, clubs that have built reputations on spotting and polishing young, overseas prospects.
So while one door appears firmly shut at Anfield, the corridor of English football is still crowded with suitors. The question now is simple: as Liverpool wrestle with their midfield identity, will they regret watching a deep-lying playmaker of Orozco’s profile walk into a rival’s dressing room?
