Liverpool: Josko Gvardiol ‘would be an excellent signing’

Liverpool would be making an ‘excellent signing’ should they land RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol, according to BBC pundit Alan Hutton.

The Lowdown: Gvardiol scouted

Alongside Jurgen Klopp and the Reds, Premier League rivals Manchester City and Chelsea are all reportedly interested in a deal for the 21-year-old, who has a £98m buyout clause.

The Croatian has previously made it public knowledge that it’s his dream to one day pull on the red shirt at Anfield having admired the club ever since his childhood.

According to 90min, the Merseyside outfit have sent scouts to watch their target in action so that they can keep regular updates on his situation ahead of the summer window.

The Latest: Hutton reacts

Speaking to Football Insider, Hutton claimed that Gvardiol could be the perfect profile of player for Liverpool to add to the heart of their backline. He said:

“I think he is an excellent player.

“We are talking about a lot of money, left-sided, great range of passing, he is physical, he is a good size. Him playing up with a Virgil van Dijk who is fully fit, I think a lot of fans would be very happy with that.

“It is going to cost a lot of money and whether they are willing to spend that on a centre-half we will soon find out.

“We are talking £80-plus million for him. But I think it is well worth it. He is only 21, it is crazy to think that he is playing at that level at such a young age and taking it all in his stride.

“So I think that would be an excellent signing.“

The Verdict: Get it done…

Gvardiol has been dubbed a ‘monster’ and ‘warrior’ by journalist Sripad and Liverpool have to act fast should they want to get this deal over the line ahead of their fellow competitors.

The 6 foot 1 star is currently averaging 2.5 clearances and 1.4 aerial wins per game in the Bundesliga (WhoScored), but also has an attacking mindset.

The Zagreb native ranks in the 99th percentile for most passes attempted and the 98th for successful take-ons by central defenders across Europe, so he’s not afraid to play out from the back to move his team up the pitch (FBRef).

Gvardiol also has the ability to operate at left-back, which is an attractive attribute given Klopp’s squad has often suffered with injuries this term, making him the perfect candidate to put pen to paper.

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