Liverpool’s transfer policy over the last few years has been enough to make even the most dedicated rival fan jealous. The Reds have spent big and spent well in recent seasons, and Jurgen Klopp’s men have reflected that on the field.
They’ve enjoyed a stark rise over the last couple of years, and they’re now genuine title contenders.
This has been achieved by the work of Jurgen Klopp, of course, but there’s no denying that the addition of a handful of players have improved their fortunes. Virgil van Dijk, for example, has transformed the defence, whilst Alisson has added some security between the sticks.
It wouldn’t be a surprise, then, to see Liverpool look to make another major deal or two, and one man they’re apparently keen on is Houssem Aouar. According to RMC Sport, the Reds are tracking him, and so Klopp is clearly a big fan.
However, in this instance, a big move may actually not be for the best. Indeed, the Reds could live to regret a move for the midfielder should they decide to make one.
It’s not that Aouar is a bad player. In fact, he’s the complete opposite of that. He’s a fantastic player, and he’s one of Europe’s brightest talents, but is he what Liverpool need right now?
Looking at their current squad, it’s hard to say that he’s the sort of man that they should be interested in. He’s 20-years-old and still developing, and he’s not yet as good as many of the options that Jurgen Klopp has at his disposal. Between Naby Keita, Fabinho, Jordan Henderson, Gini Wijnaldum, Xherdan Shaqiri James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and young Curtis Jones, the Reds have incredible strength in depth, and that leaves no room for a player like Aouar.
If he was going to be an immediate upgrade, the situation would be different, but he’s not quite there yet. He doesn’t quite have the physical presence for the Premier League, and quality-wise he’s not yet at his peak. He’d be able to have an impact, but one that is enough to disrupt Jurgen Klopp’s current players? It’s unlikely.
There’s an argument for Liverpool buying young talent for the future, of course there is, but that argument falls short when it’s so hard to find a spot for him in the team, not to mention the likely astronomical fee he would demand. He’s rated at £31.5m by Transfer Markt, and you’d expect Lyon to demand even more – especially given the Nabil Fekir saga.
The likelihood is that a move for the midfielder would be getting far closer to Alisson numbers than it would Xherdan Shaqiri numbers; and that’s a lot of cash to be spending.
Liverpool have spent big with their money in recent years, and it’s time for them to be more cautious. Aouar is a great player, but their funds would be far better utilised elsewhere.
Thoughts?
