Liverpool will want to sign several players this summer, with midfield being a particular priority. One Serie A star could turn out to be a steal
Anfield is poised to undergo significant upheaval this summer, with several known names slated to exit and new arrivals expected to arrive. And Liverpool could get a good deal on a Serie A star who has been compared to a current Reds favorite.
With as many as four midfielders on their way out of Liverpool in the form of James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Naby Keta, and Arthur Melo, it is evident that a midfield renovation will take place in the coming months. Liverpool has, of course, declared teenage midfield phenom Jude Bellingham of Borussia Dortmund its primary priority, but with a price tag of up to $158 million (£133 million/€150 million), the Reds would be stupid not to compile a list of viable alternatives.
Last summer, Liverpool were turned down by Aurélien Tchouaméni, who selected Real Madrid instead, but failing to sign an alternative soon proved costly, with Jürgen Klopp’s team needing to make a late move for the aforementioned Arthur, who signed on a season-long loan from Juventus. According to InterLive, Klopp is interested in both AC Milan’s Ismael Bennacer and Inter Milan’s long-rumored target Nicol Barella, with the Italian site stating that the German manager has both players on his shortlist for this summer.
Whereas Barella is expected to cost roughly $74m (£62m/€70m) to sign from the San Siro, Bennacer appears to be a more cost-effective choice at a valuation of $43m (£45m/€40m), according to Transfermarkt. The former Arsenal star has received high praise since his move to Serie A, where he impressed for Empoli before being selected by the seven-time European champions in 2019.
The 25-year-old has made 29 appearances in all competitions this season, scoring one goal, and appeared 31 times in the league last season as the Rossoneri won their first Scudetto in 11 years. Clearly, the midfielder has pedigree and would provide much-needed experience to Liverpool’s midfield, which is due to lose several veteran talents this summer.
Surprisingly, according to metrics website FBref, the Algerian has been most similar to Liverpool’s Thiago Alcântara in Europe’s top five divisions in the last year. Given that the Spanish ace’s contract is set to end in 2024, Klopp would be wise to look for a similar talent to eventually replace him.
Looking at Bennacer, it’s evident that some crucial indicators would stand out to Klopp’s recruitment team as ideal for the German’s gegenpressing method. Over the last 365 days, the 44-time international has been in the 96th percentile among midfielders in Europe’s top five divisions for average tackles per 90 minutes and the 91st percentile for successful take-ons.
Nevertheless, within the same time span, the Milan midfielder is in the 92nd percentile for shot-creating actions per 90 minutes. Bennacer is clearly a player who can efficiently break up play, with the ability to carry the ball forward and a keen eye for a pass in the final third.
Klopp has recently brought in replacements for established members of his squad ahead to their exits, with Luis Daz and Cody Gakpo coming in before Sadio Mané and Roberto Firmino, respectively. Liverpool may be able to replicate this technique with Bennacer and replace Thiago while he is still at the club.
Liverpool made a mistake by failing to sign a midfielder last summer, with Arthur’s hurried loan signing and subsequent troubles illustrating that a lack of planning can be costly. The bargain purchase of this Serie A star would demonstrate insight and demonstrate that the Reds are once again among the top operators in the business.
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