Liverpool They were clearly tired against them Tottenham Hotspur in Carabao Cup Wednesday evening, and maybe you can say the same for them Premier League draw vs Manchester United Last weekend.
Arnie slotPortugal have been impressive this year, as they surged into title contention which saw them leapfrog their rivals to take a six-point lead (with a game in hand) at the halfway point of the season.
Sometimes, in football, things don't go as planned. Liverpool's 24-match unbeaten run at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was halted in controversial circumstances, but the plain truth is that the Reds were toothless up front and wobbly at the back.
Perhaps a good way to combat these issues and restore the feel-good factor is to operate somewhere in the middle and strengthen Liverpool's midfield this month.
Perhaps an opportunity has arisen for a new number six. Ryan Gravenberch He has been sensational this year despite starting all 15 games in the Premier League and Europe, and needs support.
Liverpool are eyeing another midfielder
According to German correspondent Christian FalkLiverpool are interested in signing Joshua Kimmich This year, with the Bayern Munich star's contract expiring at the end of the season.
The 29-year-old midfielder is in discussions with his employers to… Extending his £314,000-a-week dealBut Liverpool are now in a position to consider their proposal and could be tempted to try his hand outside his homeland for the first time.
If FSG are serious about their interest, it might be wise for them to act wisely and sign him this winter, as Manchester City are also eyeing and keen to sign him. They landed him this month for a £10m fee.
What will Joshua Kimmich bring to Liverpool?
Typically, Liverpool like to sign players before their peak, identifying exciting talents and shaping them into elite-level stars. usually. FSG does make exceptions, Thiago Alcantara Being the most prominent.
In 2020, Thiago joined Liverpool from Bayern Munich (what to know) In an eye-catching deal worth £25 million. The Premier League champions saw an opportunity and took it, with the Spaniard being one of the outstanding midfielders of his generation.
That was not a skill set Liverpool were accustomed to dealing with Jurgen KloppUnder Thiago's tutelage, however, Thiago was arguably the most technically gifted midfielder in Europe and added something different to the team.
Indeed, the Reds received some great football with Thiago in the middle, but unfortunately injuries denied him partial success, much less the exciting years he spent with Bayern and Barcelona, where he won Champions League titles with several of them lifting numerous league trophies. also. .
Back to Kimmich. FSG might be wary about replicating the move with a player of the same age from the same pitch, but the German's fitness record is much better than that of his former teammate. Furthermore, it can replicate the quality of ball play in a gambling system best designed for it.
Thiago is now retired He started just 51 matches in the Premier League During his four-year stay at Liverpool, he averaged 13 players per term. The fact that he has left an indelible impression on the Anfield fanbase despite struggling with fitness suggests Kimmich can have an incredible impact.
TalkSPORT pundit Tony Cascarino praised Thiago as “possibly the most talented player I have seen in the Premier League”. Liverpool are grateful for the time they spent with the outstanding Spaniard, but it could have been so much more.
Certainly, there is a tactical similarity between the players. Comparing Kimmich's stats from this season to Thiago's in 2021/22, when he received the aforementioned praise from Cascarino and was at his alleged peak at Liverpool, you can see that his quality is already recognizable through elements of Kimmich's skill set.
It is food for thought. Slott will relish the opportunity to bolster his squad with a different set of 'world-class' deep midfielders – as is Highly praised by Julian Nagelsmann – Who is different from Gravenberch for sure.
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Thiago Alcantara (21/22) vs. Joshua Kimmich (24/25) |
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|---|---|---|
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Statistics (per 90) |
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|
Objectives |
0.06 |
0.07 |
|
Helps |
0.23 |
0.27 |
|
Snapshot creation procedures |
3.93 |
4.73 |
|
Complete the pass |
88.9% |
90.3% |
|
Passes attempted |
88.47 |
119.93 |
|
Progressive passes |
12.56 |
11.87 |
|
Holds progressivism |
1.41 |
1.87 |
|
Retrieve the ball |
7.39 |
6.53 |
|
Interventions + interceptions |
4.34 |
2.33 |
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Statistics via FBref |
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Looking at the players, you can see that they both achieve the gold standard when it comes to pulling the strings with their influence, making a large number of progressive passes per game while showing athleticism by winning the ball back.
A pass is considered progressive if the distance between the starting point and the next touch is at least 10 meters closer to the opponent's goal or any completed pass inside the penalty area.
Furthermore, Kimmich may not be an active defensive force in Bayern's first team, but he is still more than reliable in this regard, having won 66% of his ground duels in the Bundesliga this season. According to Sovascor.
Given that Thiago is considered, perhaps, the most technically gifted player to have graced the Premier League, and that Kimmich is able to compete with him via similar metrics, there is a strong argument to be made that Liverpool will get their gloves on the best midfielder since the Spanish star, If Kimmich is included.
Slott's long-term project could flourish with him in the mix, as he competes with Gravenberch for a top-six spot, but it is also possible that FSG could launch a £10m move this month to give Liverpool something that has added something in the middle. It could make all the difference.
