Liverpool targeting £30m ace who’d be their most creative CM since Coutinho
da betway： Jurgen Klopp's final season at the Anfield helm was a success. The lionised German manager led Liverpool back into the Champions League with a top-four Premier League finish and won the Carabao Cup despite being plagued by injury at the time.
da doce： Sure, the Reds suffered a detrimental dip in results toward the backend of the campaign, pulling them out of the FA Cup and Europa League, yanking them away from a gripping three-horse title race, but hindsight suggests that it was a job well done when considering the issues stemming from the wretched 2022/23 season.
Arne Slot, Liverpool's new head coach, has been hard at work over the past few months, stirring the Merseysiders into life at the beginning of a new era, and now, according to one transfer insider, the Dutchman is ready to make his first signing of the summer.
Liverpool transfer news
Reports from Italy have revealed that Liverpool are 'well informed about the situation' of Celtic star Matt O'Riley, who is expected to leave Parkhead this summer.
The playmaker has been the interest of a host of European clubs but FSG could now steal ahead, having emerged as a shock contender to seal a move that could cost in the region of £30m.
What Matt O'Riley would bring to Liverpool
O'Riley signed for Celtic in January 2022 for a bargain fee of £1.5m, having triggered his release clause with MK Dons. Brendan Rodgers has praised the Denmark international's "phenomenal consistency" and he could prove to be a shrewd addition to a Liverpool team in transition.
A rangy midfielder at 6 foot 2, the 23-year-old was awarded the Hoops' Young Player of the Year and Player of the Year awards after his instrumental contribution to another double-winning campaign, while notably being lauded as a "magician" by talent scout Jacek Kulig.
Posting 19 goals and 18 assists across all competitions, Liverpool scouts will hope that the Fulham academy talent's potency would translate to life in the Premier League, though when looking at his underlying numbers in the Scottish Premiership, it's patent that he has the complete skillset required for success.
His playmaking ability might just see him cement a place as the most creative midfielder since Philippe Coutinho plied his trade on Anfield grass, clad in Liverpool red.
Of course, the £14k-per-week ace has some way to go before he reaches the level of Anfield's iconic Brazilian when he was at his best, but he has the right kind of style to perform such a role from No. 10 to an effective level under Slot's leadership.
Matt O'Riley (23/24) vs Philippe Coutinho (17/18)
Statistics
Matt O'Riley
Philippe Coutinho
Matches
37
14
Goals
18
7
Assists
13
6
Pass completion
83%
79%
Key passes per game
2.5
2.9
Dribbles per game
1.0
2.8
Tackles per game
1.7
1.2
Duels won per game
4.6
5.6
Stats via Sofascore
Rodgers has professed a love for football's finest attacking partnerships, citing Liverpool's Coutinho and Luis Suarez link-up as one that has left him in awe.
But then he hailed the present bond between O'Riley and Kyogo Furuhashi in Glasgow, suggesting that he does indeed have what it takes to thrive as one of the Premier League's elite creators – perhaps forging a new electrifying partnership with Darwin Nunez, Mohamed Salah and so forth.
Signing O'Riley would come with a certain degree of risk, but he's already proved himself as a star performer in the Champions League – not looking "out of place" up against the mighty Real Madrid back in 2022, as journalist Guillem Balague noted – and could prove to be a stunning acquisition in hindsight.
Now, Liverpool just need to set the ball rolling…
Another Yoro situation: Liverpool must push ahead for £63m "warrior"
He might just fall into another outfit’s clutches this summer.
2 ByAngus Sinclair Jul 20, 2024