Currently, in the middle of a massive trophy drought, Liverpool are finally looking like a team that can compete for silverware but Jurgen Klopp will be aware of the frailties in the squad, that need to be addressed this summer. The manager has the pull to attract the best of talents in Europe and the latest name linked with a move to Anfield is Ousmane Dembele.
Dembele Linked With An Exit:
Having previously revealed that he was in talks with Liverpool before joining Barcelona, Dembele has missed a lot of his debut season at Camp Nou due to injuries and is yet to settle in under Ernesto Valverde. And with Barcelona now planning to add Antoine Griezmann to their attack this summer, reports claim that Dembele is afraid of his first-team role and could be up for an early exit.
Reports in Spain claim that Dembele has issued a ‘come and get me’ plea to Arsenal while Liverpool are also credited with an interest. He cost Barcelona around €99m and will be as expensive this summer as well. So should Liverpool make a move for Dembele?
Dembele And His Prowess:
Arguably one of the best dribblers in Europe at the moment, Dembele made a name for himself with a tremendous season for Rennes, after which he was picked up by Borussia Dortmund in 2016. He scored just six goals in 32 Bundesliga appearances in Germany and was quickly snapped up by Barcelona last summer, after the sale of Neymar Jr.
He picked up an unfortunate injury early in the season and only just got back to full fitness and has four assists in five league starts this season. A naturally two-footed player, Dembele possesses a bag of tricks and is almost impossible to mark in one-on-one situations. Strength and defensive discipline are issues in his game but at just 20, he is certainly right up there with the best in the game.
Where Does He Fit In At Liverpool?
The Reds have two of the most productive wingers in England in Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane at the moment and though Dembele can go head to head with both the names, he will have to fight for a place in the first team, which is not what he would want to do at this stage of his career.
Griezmann, if he moves to Barcelona, will push him down the pecking order but it makes little sense for the French ace to move to Anfield, where he will be in a similar situation. He is expected to be a crucial part of the French squad in the World Cup later this year and might cost even more in the summer. So Liverpool are better off trying to spend such insane amounts on players who will improve their first team and not just provide competition for places.
