Liverpool was linked with Sofyan Amrabat throughout the World Cup, but might have been missing the obvious. A Leeds transfer hijack would be good business.
Liverpool’s midfield problem will not be miraculously solved. The diagnosis and the symptoms are clear. The Reds are suffering from a lack of depth and there’s only one thing that will cure the issue — reinforcement(s).
Liverpool simply need more options in midfield in order to provide cover and solidity in an area where Jürgen Klopp has admitted his side have struggled. Following Liverpool’s draw with Wolverhampton, Klopp said that his side need to win more ‘challenges’ if they are to be successful, as per Blood Red.
But without an extra addition, this is not going to somehow magically appear out of thin air in the Liverpool squad. The problem has been persistent all season, and if Liverpool haven’t found a cure from within during the last six months, it’s obvious they need an external source to fix it.
Having already signed Cody Gakpo, a player who excelled in the World Cup, Liverpool’s solution to the problem could be found in another star who broke onto the global stage during the tournament in Qatar: Morocco’s Azzedine Ounahi.
Sofyan Amrabat took a lot of the headlines, but Ounahi was one of the biggest stars in Qatar. He stood out for his energy and defensive work-rate as well as his composure and technical ability on the ball. Just as effective in harassing his opponents as progressing the ball and making runs from midfield, he demonstrated all the quintessential traits Klopp needs in his midfield.
Most importantly, at the World Cup, Ounahi was extremely effective in winning his challenges. Averaging 1.43 defensive challenges per 90, Ounahi won an impressive 77.8 per cent of his contested tackles as per FBref. His teammate Amrabat, who has been cited as a solution to Fabinho’s defensive struggles, could not match these numbers.
That’s a really productive rate, and while in Ligue 1, his numbers drop to 50.7 per cent while playing for relegation struggles Angers, that output is still impressive for a midfielder playing for a struggling side and a lot higher than even someone like Fabinho who has averaged just 41.8 per cent in his last 365 days for Liverpool in all competitions and 44.4 per cent in the Premier League this season.
The best part about a potential deal for Ounahi is that Liverpool will not have to pay a lot of money in order to attract him to the club. According to French outlet L’Equipe, Leeds United have made a $27m (£22m/€25m) bid for the Moroccan international, and while Ounahi’s club are yet to respond to the offer, it would not be a surprise to see him go for around that price range.
At 22 years old, he is still relatively young and exactly the type of profile the Liverpool midfield needs not only to bolster the club’s options but to build for the future and rejuvenate the squad. Ounahi is the perfect multi-functional and high calibre player that is in great form and who can spark life into Liverpool’s tepid midfield.
That is why Liverpool should try to hijack Leeds United’s bid and lure him to Anfield instead of Elland Road. With all eyes on a potential Amrabat transfer, perhaps the better solution was right there all along.
SOURCE: liverpool.com
