Final summer time, Liverpool‘s desperation for a brand new holding midfielder was moderately patent.
Fabinho had been bought to Al-Ittihad for £40m in July after shedding his legs someplace initially of the 2022/23 marketing campaign; he didn’t discover them. James Milner and a number of others had left upon the expiry of their contracts, whereas Jordan Henderson was additionally bought after refusing a job of diminishing significance.
However with each skewing switch hearsay, for each batted-away bid for Romeo Lavia, for each £111m British-record-transfer-move supply for Brighton & Hove Albion’s Moises Caicedo, whose coronary heart was set on Stamford Bridge, Liverpool’s desperation unfold, deepened.
However the £16m signing of Wataru Endo from Stuttgart, a largely unknown 30-year-old midfielder, was not a frantic throw, an accepting roll of the cube – the Japan worldwide was not the primary selection however he was recognized as a shrewd answer, one which paid off throughout Jurgen Klopp‘s ultimate marketing campaign.
However he was by no means going to be the long-term answer, and now FSG and Michael Edwards and Arne Slot will probably be keen to search out and signal a gifted No. 6 with the potential of world-class high quality.
Liverpool switch rumours
In line with a report from Calcio Mercato final week, Liverpool are within the combine to signal Aston Villa star Douglas Luiz, although it’s at the moment Serie A facet Juventus who maintain the lead within the race.
Arsenal and Manchester United are additionally understood to be retaining tabs on the Brazil worldwide, who’s valued at round £60m by Unai Emery’s facet, who certified for the Champions League with a top-four Premier League end.
Luiz just isn’t the one identify on Edwards’ radar however his confirmed performances within the English prime flight communicate of the worth in preventing for his signature.
Douglas Luiz’s season in numbers
The Athletic’s Jacob Tanswell has claimed that Luiz is “one of many Premier League’s standout midfielders“, and certainly it is onerous to refute such claims after his place on the heartland of Aston Villa’s success, a central midfielder but additionally a determine of central significance.
Scoring ten targets and including as many assists for Villa throughout all competitions this season, the midfield basic was breathtaking and easily irreplaceable within the centre of the park, mixing his industrious qualities with a novel attacking skill.
Certainly, as per FBref, the 5 foot 10 star ranks among the many prime 16% of midfielders throughout Europe’s prime 5 leagues over the previous yr for targets, the highest 17% for shot-creating actions and the highest 20% for passes tried per 90, highlighting how he may make an actual impression on Slot’s first crew at Liverpool.
What’s extra, he is truly been in contrast favourably in opposition to Arsenal’s Declan Rice by pundit Jermaine Pennant, who mentioned final December: “I’d say Douglas Luiz of Aston Villa, I believe he can do the whole lot that Rice can do and higher. I believe he assists extra, he chips in with targets greater than Rice.
“Creativity sensible he is higher, aptitude is best, he can put in a sort out similar to Rice, break up play similar to Rice. So I believe if somebody mentioned to me you possibly can have Douglas Luiz for £60m or Declan Rice for £100m, straightforward each day of the week, Douglas Luiz.”
Premier League 23/24: Douglas Luiz vs Declan Rice |
||
---|---|---|
Stat (per 90) |
||
Matches performed |
35 |
38 |
Matches began |
35 |
37 |
Targets |
9 |
7 |
Assists |
5 |
8 |
Go completion |
89% |
91% |
Large probabilities created |
10 |
9 |
Key passes |
1.5 |
1.2 |
Ball recoveries |
5.3 |
4.7 |
Tackles |
1.7 |
2.2 |
Duels received |
4.2 (51%) |
4.1 (52%) |
Dribble makes an attempt |
0.7 (60%) |
0.6 (51%) |
All stats through Sofascore |
Mikel Arteta signed Rice from West Ham United for £105m final summer time and, let’s be honest, he is one of many main gamers of his place worldwide, however Luiz is aware of his stuff and Pennant’s reward would possibly simply have some fact to it.
Rice could be the right participant to strengthen Anfield’s engine room however – out on a limb, right here – he is in all probability not out there. Due to this fact, Luiz would possibly simply be one of the best participant to maneuver for, maybe much more so than Newcastle United’s Bruno Guimaraes…
Why Liverpool ought to signal Douglas Luiz
Liverpool’s midfield abounds with high-quality gamers however Endo is not the identical commonplace as Manchester Metropolis’s Rodri, nor Arsenal’s Rice. He can stand proud after a profitable marketing campaign however Chelsea’s Caicedo may but develop into one in all Europe’s main midfielders, having demonstrated his elite expertise at 22 years outdated in testing circumstances at Chelsea.
Endo will play an element in Liverpool’s squad underneath Slot however he should not be the principal holding midfielder. As per Spanish sources, Guimaraes is now being thought-about by Liverpool amid rising stories that the Magpies would possibly have to half with some silver this summer time to remain in step with Revenue and Sustainability guidelines.
However Luiz’s countryman wouldn’t come low-cost, with Newcastle hoping for a suitor to pay his €115m (£100m) launch clause.
Guimaraes is a superb participant, along with his teammate Dan Burn remarking that he’s “world-class“, producing a Premier League marketing campaign that shows his strengths throughout nearly each space.
Bruno Guimaraes PL Stats 23/24 |
|
---|---|
Stat |
# |
Matches performed |
37 |
Matches began |
37 |
Targets |
7 |
Assists |
8 |
Go completion |
85% |
Large probabilities created |
12 |
Key passes per sport |
1.7 |
Dribbles per sport |
1.9 |
Ball recoveries per sport |
6.4 |
Tackles per sport |
2.4 |
Duels received per sport |
7.7 |
Stats through Sofascore |
He is moderately good. However Guimaraes would break the bank and Edwards and FSG will probably be properly conscious of the necessity to implement modifications throughout a spread of positions this summer time.
Final yr, the Reds pulled out of the race to signal Jude Bellingham following considerations that it will take too hefty a determine to convey the prodigy to Anfield, one thing which may have proved detrimental given the scale of the duty in revamping the midfield.
As an alternative, funding was unfold and Liverpool returned to prominence, restoring their place within the Champions League, competing for the Premier League title and profitable the Carabao Cup.
Douglas Luiz may not be Guimaraes however he’s nonetheless a participant of high-level acumen – hailed as “unbelievable” by journalist Zach Lowy – and he could be a beautiful addition to Slot’s Liverpool.
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He might be a super midfield addition.