Liverpool can ditch plans to sign Wirtz by moving for £87m “world beater”

Someday, Liverpool should deal with the departure of Mohamed Salah. It’s a thought that strikes worry into the hearts of these on Merseyside – the crimson half, at the least.

For the blue facet, and certainly far past, the Egyptian machine has plagued Premier League defences for a few years, since signing from Roma in a £34m transfer back in 2017.

Salah, aged 31, has scored 196 targets and equipped 83 assists from 320 appearances for Jurgen Klopp‘s facet; he has been the offensive catalyst and loved a starring function throughout an illustrious interval within the Reds’ historical past, instrumental within the conquering of the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup – not an exhaustive list.

Liverpool warded off advances from Saudi Professional League facet Al-Ittihad in the summertime, who’re believed to have presented a £150m package for the 32-year-old, however with Salah out of contract in 2025, he is not going to stay on Anfield grass perpetually.

Whereas the defensive and central thirds require instant consideration, Klopp might be tempted to spend huge on a brand new attacking outlet when the time comes, and if reviews are to be believed, that addition might be Jamal Musiala.

Liverpool switch information – Jamal Musiala

According to Sport1, Liverpool are very a lot among the many contenders for Musiala’s providers because the Bayern Munich star continues to sit down at an deadlock with the Bundesliga champions relating to a contractual renewal.

Extra just lately, Sport Bild – via ESPN – have reported that Spanish giants Actual Madrid have additionally joined the race and can prioritise the 20-year-old’s signing subsequent summer season ought to efforts to signal Kylian Mbappe show fruitless.

Experiences from October have prompt that Liverpool should cough up €100m (£87m) to safe Musiala’s signature, and whereas that is an eye-watering determine, they might not discover the chance to search out such a unprecedented expertise nonetheless malleable sufficient to be formed to Klopp’s creation.

Jamal Musiala’s model of play

Having been a starring member of Chelsea’s youth academy all through his youth, Musiala opted to return to his homeland in 2019 after the Stamford Bridge facet did not match Die Roten’s supply.

How they need to rue that decision; Musiala has now plundered 35 targets and 26 assists from 138 professional outings, clinching 32 direct contributions from 47 games final yr.

On the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, for Germany, Musiala was one of many solely shiny sparks as his nation languished to a gaggle section exit, with the gem, who has been hailed as a “future Ballon d’Or winner” by teammate Alphonso Davies, completing 12 dribbles in a single match towards Costa Rica (essentially the most ever from a teen in a single recreation on the match).

This yr, he has solely began 5 league matches to date – a big motive behind the rising sense that he could be unsettled – however has scored 4 targets and equipped three assists throughout all competitions – serving a aim towards Manchester United within the Champions League.

A outstanding prospect, Musiala ranks among the many high 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers throughout Europe’s high 5 leagues over the previous yr for go completion and profitable take-ons, the highest 7% for assists and the highest 15% for shot-creating actions per 90, as per FBref.

The £87k-per-week gem boasts abilities that may slot into Klopp’s Liverpool system like a dovetail joint, and will it come right down to it, the Reds merely should prioritise signing the Bavarian machine over his countryman Florian Wirtz, who has been sensational for Bayer Leverkusen this season.

How Jamal Musiala compares to Florian Wirtz

Wirtz has scored six targets and equipped 9 assists from 15 matches throughout all competitions this season as Xabi Alonso’s Leverkusen perch atop the Bundesliga desk, having been dubbed an “elite talent” by scout Jacek Kulig.

A outstanding midfielder, Wirtz has made 2.5 key passes per recreation within the German top-flight this time period; Sofascore highlights his tendency to linger across the left channel, influencing play from the touchline and weaving inside to create probabilities and strike on aim himself.

There are compelling circumstances to be made {that a} membership resembling Liverpool ought to concentrate on signing both of these gorgeous midfielders, however Liverpool would discover Musiala of larger worth to Klopp’s venture, with Wirtz additionally attracting the facet’s consideration, based on the Star – via the Daily Mail.

Because the desk delineates, the gamers are of the same ilk if differing barely of their strategy on the pitch. Wirtz is extra inventive and influences play from deep, as highlighted by his superior shot-creating actions (SCA), however Musiala is a more proficient dribbler, driving the ball ahead and bypassing hapless defenders with profitable take-ons (STA).

Make no mistake, both of these prodigious Germany starlets can be an unbelievable addition to the Anfield facet, and there may be little dispute that Wirtz is among the best, most dynamic playmaking abilities of his era. It’d simply be that Musiala is extra suited to the function that Klopp would hope for him to play.

The Bayern participant, who has been heralded as a “potential world beater” by a recruitment determine central to switch hypothesis surrounding his identify, is a dribbler at his core and might be the right foil for Liverpool stars resembling Dominik Szoboszlai and Trent Alexander-Arnold, whose inventive ingenuity would mix sumptuously with Musiala, as he weaves by way of the half-spaces.

The figures that could be concerned in a switch might be astronomical, however the Liverpool chiefs have already demonstrated their willingness to spend huge after capturing Darwin Nunez for a club-record fee totalling £85m.

When Salah does bow out, it is going to be essential to safe a shiny new signature of somebody who may compensate for his exit; straight changing such a prolific phenomenon can be tough, true, however investing in a brand new sort of attacking risk can be an astute transfer.

Musiala might be the talismanic determine to make sure Liverpool stay difficult for the largest honours over the approaching years, and if a possibility arises, then Klopp should pounce.