Liverpool have been plugging away underneath Arne Slot‘s administration in current weeks, seeking to get better their title-winning kind from final season.
And whereas the Reds have made a measure of progress after that abject Anfield defeat towards PSV Eindhoven within the Champions League, successful at West Ham earlier than recovering to seal a draw towards Sunderland, way more is required.
Regardless of a summer season of heavy spending, it is clear that there are gaping holes in Slot’s squad, with the backline past fragile and the motley group of elite forwards missing synergy and understanding.
Sporting director Richard Hughes will likely be rolling up his sleeves because the January switch window inches nearer.
Liverpool’s winter switch plans
Surely, Marc Guehi and Antoine Semenyo‘s names have been touted on the highest frequency this season, and it is understood that Semenyo might be on the very prime of the checklist after FSG determined towards instantly changing Luis Diaz in August.
Nonetheless, Semenyo’s £65m price ticket and the rising curiosity from Premier League rivals akin to Manchester Metropolis and Tottenham Hotspur suggests FSG could be sensible to maintain their e-book of choices open.
They usually have. In line with Spanish sources, Barcelona have been left disgruntled of their bid to signal Yan Diomande from RB Leipzig following rising curiosity from Liverpool and Spurs.
Leipzig worth the 19-year-old winger at €90m (about £78m), and after holding talks with the Bundesliga outfit, Liverpool and Tottenham are primed to make official affords this winter.
Why Liverpool ought to signal Yan Diomande
Although Cody Gakpo has come underneath flak for his performances this season, he has nonetheless scored 4 targets and supplied three assists throughout 12 Premier League begins.
Semenyo would jockey with the Dutchman for a spot on the left flank, however signing Diomande would possibly really be the extra providential transfer for Liverpool as a complete, bringing again Diaz’s electrical tempo and vitality whereas establishing a duality of choice that might see each gamers thrive.
And anyway, Diomande is likely to be a piece in progress in the meanwhile, however the teenager has the potential to turn into a celebrity, with coach Harry Brook calling him an “explosive and well-rounded athlete” who will quickly be “price £100m plus”.
|
Antoine Semenyo vs Yan Diomande (previous 12 months) |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Stats (per 90) |
||
|
Objectives scored |
0.36 |
0.36 |
|
Assists |
0.20 |
0.21 |
|
Photographs taken |
2.73 |
2.08 |
|
Shot-creating actions |
3.57 |
5.23 |
|
Touches (att pen) |
4.87 |
7.16 |
|
Go completion (%) |
72.9 |
81.2 |
|
Progressive passes |
3.48 |
3.44 |
|
Progressive carries |
3.79 |
6.66 |
|
Profitable take-ons |
1.78 |
4.01 |
|
Ball recoveries |
4.46 |
6.01 |
|
Tackles + interceptions |
1.87 |
2.72 |
|
Knowledge by way of FBref |
||
Semenyo is likely to be one of many Premier League’s most harmful vast forwards, however the knowledge definitely means that Diomande has what it takes to supersede him within the energy rankings, ought to he transfer to Liverpool in 2026.
Already, he’s extra lively and incisive throughout ball-carrying and -playing metrics, and within the Bundesliga this time period, the two-sided winger has notched three targets and two assists from solely eight begins, averaging 2.8 dribbles and successful 4.2 duels per fixture (as per Sofascore).
The Ghana worldwide has been in red-hot kind within the Premier League this season and he is a big-game participant in addition to, however he has gone greater than two months with no aim contribution and there is a compelling case to be made that Diomande might develop right into a higher participant.
Slot wants to think about the stability and fluency of his outfit as a complete, and this might be a deal to reinforce that after which some, permitting the likes of Gakpo to proceed to earn alternatives whereas including depth and, extra importantly, elite high quality.
That isn’t to discredit Semenyo’s expertise. The Cherries star is a improbable, Prem-proven ahead. It merely underlines the calibre of participant Diomande could properly turn into.
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