The Reds' dire need for midfield reinforcements this summer has once again been laid bare for everyone to see.

Liverpool have finally found some form, winning their last four Premier League games in a row and going six straight games unbeaten to climb up to fifth in the table amidst their disappointing campaign. 

Their most recent outgoing was the thrilling 4-3 victory at home to Tottenham, with Klopp's men nearly throwing away a 3-0 first-half lead had it not been for Diogo Jota's stoppage-time winner.

Unfortunately, the Reds have been hit with another disappointing injury update as one key player has been ruled out for the rest of the season. That man is Thiago Alcantara, the highly-rated but injury-prone midfield maestro.

The former Bayern Munich ace has been limited to only 14 starts in the English top flight this season due to fitness issues. According to the Times, while he came off the bench in the games against Arsenal, Leeds, Nottingham Forest, and West Ham, the 32-year-old will not be available again in 2022/23.

The Spaniard is suffering from a hip issue and is set to undergo a minor operation as a result. This will thus sideline him for the club's final five games, which are against Fulham, Brentford, Leicester, Aston Villa, and Southampton. 

Thiago joins countryman Stefan Bajcetic on the treatment table. Additionally, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who are both set to leave this summer for free, have been unavailable for most of the season.

This underlines Liverpool's dire need for midfield reinforcement this summer. The Merseyside giants have been linked with a number of top names, including Mac Allister, Caicedo, Mount, Nunes, and Sporting CP's Manuel Ugarte. However, it remains to be seen who Klopp and Co. will prioritize.

Jude Bellingham had been target no.1 for a lengthy period, but with Dortmund set to demand well over $100M for the Englishman, the Reds have decided to look elsewhere. This is both good and bad news as the club will miss out on a world-class talent but will look to add two quality midfielders for the 2023/24 season onward.