Liverpool could’ve signed ideal Fabinho replacement without spending a penny

Liverpool seemingly missed a golden opportunity to sign their ideal Fabinho replacement on a free transfer last summer. The Reds are still looking to strengthen in the middle of the park following the recent exits of Fabinho, James Milner and Jordan Henderson. They initially tried to sign Moises Caicedo from Brighton but were told by his representatives that he only wanted to join Chelsea, who ended up completing a British-record deal for his signature. Liverpool then switched their focus to a move for Romeo Lavia but it was the same story, with Chelsea swooping to poach him from under their noses. Aston Villa midfielder Boubacar Kamara was identified as another option by the Reds when it became clear that Fabinho was about to be sold earlier this summer, according to The Athletic . However, they missed a trick by failing to sign him without paying a single penny when he left Marseille in the summer of 2022. Villa were quick to land Kamara on a five-year deal after he ran down his contract at Marseille, allowing him to leave the French giants on a free transfer. He has since emerged as one of Unai Emery’s most important midfielders and has played every minute in the Premier League so far this season. Jurgen Klopp missed a trick by not signing Boubacar Kamara for free last summer (Image: GETTY) Kamara made 26 appearances in all competitions for Villa throughout his debut campaign, helping the west Midlands club to qualify for the Europa Conference League in the process. There is still time for Liverpool to make a move for Kamara this summer but Villa are unlikely to be keen on selling unless the Reds are prepared to pay a significant transfer fee. Former Villa striker Gabriel Agbonlahor recently warned Liverpool that it would take a ‘ridiculous’ offer to land Kamara, telling Football Insider : “I rate Kamara highly. He wasn’t at his best in the first game against Newcastle, but you let players off in the first few games. Kamara has emerged as one of Villa’s most important players over the last 12 months (Image: GETTY) “No top Aston Villa player is up for transfer. If they don’t have to sell, they won’t. The days of being a selling club are over. I feel that unless Liverpool come out and pay something astonishing, they won’t be getting any deal over the line.” Jurgen Klopp recently welcomed Wataru Endo to his Liverpool squad, with the Japanese midfielder joining the Reds in a surprise move from Stuttgart. It remains to be seen whether that deal has ended their interest in Kamara or if he could still be pursued before the summer window closes next Friday. Want the latest Premier League news as we publish it on  Express Sport ? Join our Facebook group by clicking  here .