Dominik Szoboszlai is a certain starter but it might be the bench for Ryan Gravenberch! Ranking Liverpool's midfield options after summer rebuild

The one Liverpool midfielder one would have actually expected to move to Saudi Arabia during the summer and yet Thiago Alcantara is still at Anfield, even if a lot of people have forgotten that fact. That's understandable, of course, given the Spaniard hasn't been seen on the pitch since April because of a hip problem and Thiago's terribly frustrating injury record is the main reason why he's not expected to feature much this season.

However, if the 32-year-old were to somehow stay fit - and we appreciate that's a big if - he could actually have both a big and influential role to play. The tenacious playmaker has an elite level of experience that many of his midfield rivals lack while not one has a better range of passing.

If Thiago were allowed to sit at the base of the midfield and dictate the game through the deployment of two hard-working and hard-running No.8s alongside him, he could absolutely run the show for Liverpool. Think Andrea Pirlo at Juventus, when he had Paul Pogba and Arturo Vidal doing so much of his dirty work for him. It's quite a thrilling thought - but perhaps not a realistic one because of Thiago's physical fragility.

Harvey Elliott rather unfairly became something of a lightning rod for fan frustration midway through last season but he really wasn't to blame for Liverpool's struggles in midfield. The Reds were simply paying the price for poor recruitment coupled with the poor form of more experienced players.

However, there is no denying that Elliott struggled with the attempt to transform him from a wide attacker into a right-side forward into a multi-functional midfielder and there is still some uncertainty over Elliott's best position - as well his hopes of becoming a regular under Klopp.

He has, at least, featured in all four games so far this season, impressing off the bench with his mix of energy and technical ability, most notably against Newcastle, but his task of breaking into the starting XI has not been made any easier by the arrivals of Szoboszlai and Mac Allister - not to mention the fact that Liverpool are so well-stacked in terms of inside forwards.

Elliot is still only 20, though, so he has plenty of time to develop and prove his worth at Anfield.

Another Spanish No.6 with a question mark over his fitness right now but the hope is that Bajcetic could make his first appearance of the season this weekend, after making the bench for Liverpool's last three Premier League fixtures. It would certainly represent a most welcome and timely return.

Bajcetic was, as Mohamed Salah admitted, Liverpool's best player during his run in the starting line-up last season and the adductor injury he suffered in March came as a hammer blow to a player that assistant coach Pep Lijnders had described as a gift from the academy.

Liverpool are obviously unwilling to rush the 18-year-old's reintegration into the team. He is most definitely one for the future, so he shouldn't be ushered in to solve a present problem. But given his athleticism, his defensive capabilities (he used to play at centre-back at Celta) and his combination of skill and swagger, Bajcetic could easily end up making the No.6 slot his own for years to come.

Liverpool left it so late - and they arguably wouldn't have got a deal for Ryan Gravenberch over the line had Bayern Munich not fully believed they'd sign Joao Palhinha from Fulham - but all that mattered as far as Klopp was concerned was that the Dutchman arrived at Anfield before the transfer window closed.

There will be some concern among supporters over the way in which Gravenberch failed to shine under two different managers in Munich, particularly as there were reports of a poor attitude and a lack of defensive discipline hindering his hopes of convincing either Julian Nagelsmann or Thomas Tuchel that he was worthy of regular game time.

However, it basically came down to the fact that neither man came to view Gravenberch as a No.6, so there appears no chance of him replacing Fabinho in front of Liverpool's back four - at least not yet.

Klopp has also acknowledged that the Netherlands international still has plenty of things to work on - which is only natural, as the manager pointed out, as Gravenberch is still only 21.

It seems highly unlikely, then, that Liverpool's latest signing will walk straight into the starting line-up but given his athleticism, composure on the ball, range of passing and dribbling skills, it is easy to envisage Gravenberch becoming Klopp's belated replacement for another Dutchman - Gini Wijnaldum.

Talk about being thrown in at the deep end. In each of Endo's first two Premier League appearances, Liverpool had only 10 men. In such difficult circumstances, he did very well.

However, as Klopp has been keen to point out, the defensive midfield position is probably the most difficult at Liverpool. Consequently, the manager is preaching patience with Endo, explaining that he is going to need time to get to grips with the role and its responsibilities.

Endo is renowned as a fast learner, though, a very intelligent character who is so adept at breaking up opposition attacks, winning duels and pilfering possession because he reads the play so well.

He is also a specialist No.6 with a huge amount of experience, which could well give him an edge on the likes of Bajcetic, Jones and Gravenberch. It certainly wouldn't be a surprise to see Endo picked in tough away games ahead of his younger rivals once the Japan captain - who was excellent at last year's World Cup - is fully up to speed.

Is this Curtis Jones' time to shine? It might well be, provided he can avoid any more of the unfortunate fitness problems that have hindered his progress to date.

Jones was excellent from April onwards last season, his return to the starting line-up coinciding with Liverpool's best run of results and form during a difficult 2022-23 campaign. He followed that up by playing a pivotal role in England Under-21s winning the European Championship during the summer.

Because Jones is a multi-skilled midfielder with a huge amount of self-belief, Klopp even talked up his prospects of playing as a No.6 this season but it's clear that the German feels the Scouser is best deployed in a slightly more advanced role.

So, while Jones is by no means a certain starter, he should still see plenty of game time this season.

The Argentine's Anfield career didn't exactly start as he would have hoped, with Mac Allister sent off in just his second competitive outing for his new club. However, that red card against Bournemouth was rightly overturned on appeal and Mac Allister has since played his part in two impressive wins, at Newcastle and against Aston Villa, in a deep-lying role.

However, well as he has played as a No.6, particularly at Anfield just before the international break, there is an argument that the World Cup winner is more effective ever so slightly further forward, one strengthened by his performance at Chelsea on the opening weekend of the new season.

Mac Allister did reasonably well and was involved in Luis Diaz's opener, but Liverpool failed to exert any real control over the game from around the half-hour mark on. It must be said, though, that the makeshift nature of the midfield that day hardly helped Mac Allister get a grip on the proceedings.

Therefore, it will be fascinating to see whether Klopp continues with Mac Allister at the base of the midfield when everyone is fit and available for selection, or instead turns to a specialist six.

Whatever he decides, though, the former Brighton man is likely to start in the very biggest games, given his energy, creativity and goal threat.

Arguably one of the first names on the team sheet after hitting the ground running following his summer arrival from RB Leipzig, with Szoboszlai looking utterly unburdened by his £60m ($75m) price tag. Indeed, the confidence with which he's going about his business has been seriously impressive.

He's beating players, whipping over crosses and proving a real threat with his long-range shooting and dead-ball deliveries. One effort against Bournemouth proved too hot to handle for Neto, allowing Diogo Jota to convert a rebound, while Szoboszlai also opened the scoring against Villa with a clever, expertly-struck drive into the ground.

Still, while we knew from his time at RB Leipzig that the 22-year-old loves nothing more than getting forward, his industry has come as a welcome surprise to those that wondered if he was really right for Klopp's brand of football.

The manager has been enthused by Szoboszlai's work-rate, which is one of the main reasons why he is a certain starter right now.