Dominik Soboslai could be the next player in Liverpool's midfield renovation. Credit: Reuters/Annegret Hilse
It's been less than four weeks since Jorge Schmadtke took over as Liverpool's sporting director. Judging by modern football appetites, many will consider that this is enough to rebuild two teams, not to mention find a couple of players to reboot Jurgen Klopp's midfield.
So far, Liverpool have secured one upcoming deal with the World Cup winner. Alexis Mac Allister looks like a £35m bargain in a market where sellers seem unwilling to answer the phone if rates are under £60m with add-ons.
If negotiations with RB Leipzig go well, Dominik Soboslai will be the second significant addition. Initially dejected by the chances of poaching the Hungarian footballer after negotiations with his representatives, the situation has changed in the last 24 hours, and the 22-year-old seems set to cooperate with Klopp.
Providing information The deal is materializing and this should somehow This is to calm the troubled waters ahead of Klopp's most important summer transfer window since 2016, when he prepared for his first full season in England with instructions to restore Champions League status.
Liverpool are under more scrutiny this summer than at any time during Klopp's tenure, with the club replacing its third sporting director in three years. Many of those who have praised Fenway Sports Group's transfer model, which was such a success until the summer of 2022, are looking for confirmation that it is sustainable in a world where Arsenal are offering over £100m for Declan Rice while ” Manchester City and Chelsea continue to show their significant economic muscle.
Liverpool owner John W. Henry's admission that Liverpool need outside investment reinforces the feeling that Klopp and his recruiters need to be the most astute, tasked with unearthing deals that those at the top of the buyers' market, presumably blind. Can Liverpool really start throwing meaningful shots again by finding the next Sadio Mane or Mohamed Salah for £35m a man?
Whether they have to shell out a substantial £60m for Soboslai, many of the recent critics of FSG's prudence will be undermined – at least temporarily. and those accustomed to squabbling with Manchester City don't stand up to the argument that a team capable of regularly scoring over 90 points tends to come along once in a generation. unless they are government-funded, boast mind-boggling commercial income, or are unfortunate enough to have both.
Alexis Mac Allister was Liverpool's first summer performer for an initial fee of £35m from Brighton. Credit: Getty Images/Andrew Powell
By any measure, it is not easy for Liverpool to instantly regain their high position. In the current market where the club is unable and unwilling to commit more of its financial resources, there is a clear danger that the Merseyside club will look like they are impotently taking over supervision while rivals battle it out for the most sought-after and expensive midfielders. in the world. .
Suffice it to say that what outsiders call indecisiveness or, even worse, unwillingness to dig into the club's income, Liverpool calls “due diligence”.
That's why the club is so associated with many names – each with merit, but in a market where the word “percentage” plays a bigger role than ever.
The opening of the transfer window has resulted in as many names linked to Liverpool as Chelsea signed last January. Indeed, potential targets are mentioned so often that any experienced midfielder under the age of 24 whose agent hasn't already had a casual conversation with Liverpool scouts should feel offended.
For a variety of reasons. Liverpool have acted cautiously before taking a formal approach to such considerations.
In the case of Chelsea's Mason Mount – a player Klopp undoubtedly admired and would have gladly added to his team at a reasonable price – the decision to leave came after realizing that negotiations with his current club could be as long as he had imagined. Todd Boly. the idea of a bidding war between Liverpool and Manchester United, which led to a price increase. On Thursday, with United finally agreeing to a £55million fee for Mount, Klopp would grudgingly admit that it seemed too much for a player who ended his contract after a year.
Profiles of others goals are similar in that they are young and play in the centre, demonstrating where Liverpool's eyes are focused. Ajax's Ryan Gravenberch, Inter Milan's Nicolò Barella, Nice's Chephram Thuram and Borussia Mönchengladbach's Manu Kone are players that Liverpool, like many Premier League clubs, have profiled.
Jurgen Klopp would be happy to add Mason Mount to his attacking midfield. Credit: Times Newspapers/Bradley Ormesher
There was some buzz earlier this week when Southampton's Romeo Lavia was closely linked to Liverpool. It has always been said from Anfield that another attacking midfielder is the priority before they go after number 6.
Another highly publicized connection with Real Madrid's Federico Valverde made no sense when tied to a £77m valuation. This is just £11m short of the original £88m Real Madrid paid for Jude Bellingham. Liverpool's reason for not chasing Bellingham – that they can't afford that much per player – should be instructive in separating real from fantastic goals.
Soboslai fits the bill due to his age and – for the point – the lack of a transfer saga related to his determination to move to Anfield despite not having Champions League football.
As Klopp has often pointed out, natural ability and promising data are just one aspect to consider when making a final choice. More than any other Liverpool manager to date, Klopp believes a player's character is critical to whether he pursues him. Since “questioning” someone for a trainee post hitting “number 8” in Klopp's system is technically prohibited without a “connection” investigation (which Liverpool are well aware of), prior discussion of a player cannot always be considered substantive. precursor for formal application and transfer. Once Liverpool make their move, it is fair to assume that Klopp has somehow fully appreciated the player's personality as well as the quality of his first touch.
The lesson from past and recent history is that as much as Liverpool are being urged to appear more active, even at the end of June, FSG policy will never be compromised as they seek to get the most out of a transfer world that John Henry might , underestimated when he once described it as the “wild west”.
The Hierarchy will argue that the issues raised in this window are not so different from those before, when Liverpool were regularly accused of attempts to “deceive” the market even more often than not. turned out to be stronger. They seek to be judged by what they end up doing, not by how much others spend. The signing of two attacking midfielders ahead of pre-season would meet the expectations of a manager and fans eager for a reaction after the disasters of the last campaign.
Between 2017 and 2022, Klopp has been looking to add star players from a position of strength. This summer he is doing it after a season when Liverpool's shortcomings are obvious. If Soboslai joins Mac Allister for a total of £100m, it would be a hopeful start to a critical period on and off the pitch.
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