Miralem Pjanic is being linked with a move to Liverpool according to Talksport, and it’s got our resident Liverpool punters talking here in the Transfer Tavern!
The Roma midfielder is rumoured to have attracted interest from Chelsea and Juventus as well as the Reds, and a bidding war could break out for the Bosnian international starting at £30 million.
Pjanic would be employed in Jurgen Klopp’s midfield at Anfield and so would compete for places with the likes of Jordan Henderson, Adam Lallana and James Milner and with the task of returning the club to the Champions League the German boss clearly needs to add some quality and depth to his squad.
Liverpool finished eighth in the Premier League in 2015/16 and whilst they reached two cup finals, they fell short in both. Evidently there is quality in the Merseyside outfit but it just needs a little bit extra – perhaps in the form of Pjanic.
It would be an intriguing signing for the Reds if they pulled it off and to help our Liverpool fans form an opinion, our landlord at the Transfer Tavern has thought of these TWO pros and TWO cons of signing the midfielder……
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PRESS THE IMAGE BELOW TO SEE THE 2 PROS AND 2 CONS!
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Pro 1: Goals
Pjanic has proven himself to be a goal-scoring midfielder this season in Serie A.
From 33 games he’s managed ten strikes and that’s a ratio of just over 1 in 3 – the benchmark for a top level midfielder.
A goal scorer from the middle of the park is vital for any side serious about competing at Champions League level and clearly Liverpool would be getting one of the highest order in the man from Bosnia.
Con 1: Discipline
Pjanic certainly isn’t one to shy away from a challenge.
The former Lyon man picked up ten cautions throughout 2015/16 in Italy and that would likely make him a target for fellow midfielders in the Premier League.
We’ve seen from the Reds’ manager that he likes his side to show passion and be fired up, but with any further encouragement Pjanic could find himself suspended pretty frequently if he’s not careful.
Pro 2: Creative Flair
The Roma man can score goals, but what he does even better is lay them on for his team-mates.
13 assists in all competitions is an impressive statistic and strikers like Daniel Sturridge would have a field day off of service like that.
Liverpool boast a number of clever players already in the shape of Philipe Coutinho and Roberto Firmino to name but a few, and so to throw Pjanic into the mix would be a real statement from the Reds.
Con 2: Aerial Ability
At 180cm, the central midfielder loses out in the height stakes to a number of his opponents, making him vulnerable to winning balls in the air.
Arguably the Premier League is more physical than Serie A too, and Liverpool fans might worry that Pjanic would not have the sheer physical presence to dominate the central area leaving them open to attacks from opposing teams.
