Danny Murphy has urged Liverpool to consider signing Newcastle United's Lewis Hall as a replacement for the departing Andy Robertson. The former Liverpool midfielder believes the 21-year-old England international would be an excellent addition to the squad, despite the challenges of prising him away from St James' Park.
Murphy's Assessment of Liverpool's Left-Back Situation
Liverpool signed Milos Kerkez from Bournemouth last summer, but Murphy feels the Hungarian is not at the level required to be a first-choice left-back for a club competing for Premier League and Champions League titles. With Andy Robertson set to leave at the end of the season, likely joining Tottenham Hotspur on a free transfer, Murphy sees a clear need for reinforcement.
'Kerkez is a trier and he's improved, but is he at the level Liverpool need to win league titles and Champions League? My feeling is that he's not,' Murphy told Betarades. 'He's probably an understudy; he's probably a backup. But he's not better than Andy Robertson.'
Lewis Hall as a Prime Target
Murphy is a huge admirer of Lewis Hall, who has impressed during his time at Newcastle. 'I'm a huge fan of Lewis Hall. I think he's a wonderful player, a brilliant footballer, and when it comes to one-on-one defending, he's very, very good,' Murphy said.
However, he acknowledged that Newcastle are unlikely to want to sell Hall, especially given his age and potential. But with the Magpies facing Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) pressures and likely missing out on Champions League qualification, Murphy believes Liverpool could exploit the situation.
'It's probably unlikely you're going to get him out because it looks like [Sandro] Tonali might go and [Anthony] Gordon might go, but if Newcastle do have to sell and you can pinch him, even if you have to pay a bit more for him, he's still a young man, he's got the Premier League experience, and I think he's been one of Newcastle's shining lights this season,' Murphy added.
Broader Transfer Needs
Murphy also highlighted the need for a quality right-back, suggesting that Jeremie Frimpong looks more comfortable as a wing-back or winger than a traditional right-back in a back four. He praised Conor Bradley but noted the youngster's injury concerns.
'I think Liverpool need a really established quality right-back because Frimpong looks more like a wing-back or a winger to me. He hasn't really looked that comfortable playing at right-back,' Murphy said. 'That can change, but I think they'll probably give Frimpong another year to establish himself alongside Conor Bradley because they can't replace everybody.'
Ultimately, Murphy believes the left-back position is the priority due to Robertson's departure. 'I think they need to bring someone in who can really compete and play and not be an understudy to Kerkez. I think they need to go and get somebody who's established and of real quality that can come into the team, push Kerkez, and probably overtake him, if I'm being honest. The Kerkez signing hasn't really worked,' he concluded.
