Liverpool linked with Ligue 1 speedster: Why Klopp could make a move for him

Liverpool have sent scouts to keep an eye on Olympique Lyon winger Memphis Depay; it has been claimed.

According to Mercato365(via Daily Mail), Liverpool are monitoring the progress of Memphis Depay as they look to add to their attacking options this summer. The Dutch international has impressed in Ligue 1 since leaving Manchester United back in 2017, and a return to the Premier League could be on the cards, with the Reds interested.

Memphis Depay: The right choice by Jurgen Klopp?

Since joining Lyon in 2017, Depay has been involved in as many as 77 goals in just 114 matches in all competitions. His pace and dynamism have added another dimension to the Lyon attack and have been critical to their success in the past couple of years.

This season, Depay netted eight goals and provided nine assists. He even assisted Nabil Fekir’s winner against Manchester City during the Champions League group stage earlier in the season showing he can still rough it out with the big guns.

The Reds are in desperate need of attacking reinforcements this summer. Alex-Oxlade Chamberlain’s iffy injury record and the over-reliance on Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah for goals and a lack of depth in those areas mean Liverpool went into every game an injury away from seeing their title-charge get derailed. On top of that, Adam Lallana is looking for an exit after failing to get much gametime.

This leaves Liverpool with Xherdan Shaqiri as their only reliable alternative to the attacking duo of Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane. And that’s where Depay comes into the fray.

As iterated earlier, the Dutchman has enjoyed a rich vein of form in France and has become a genuine threat in attack. He could provide excellent cover for the likes of Salah and Mane in the wide attacking positions. He can also feature as a centre-forward, which will provide Jurgen Klopp with additional options as far his tactical choices are concerned.

Depay’s aggression and willingness to take on defenders tunes in well with Liverpool’s gegenpressing style of football under Klopp. His tendency to cut-inside from wider positions and act as an inverted winger would also benefit Liverpool’s overlapping fullbacks, both of who love to whip crosses into the box.

This will make it easier for Klopp to accommodate Depay in his preferred 4-3-3 formation. However, his past struggles at Manchester United will lay question marks over his capability of integrating to the fast-paced nature of English football. Hence, there are definitely risks associated with his potential transfer to Anfield this summer.

Even though slightly surprising, a move for Depay makes sense to an extent and a possible transfer will not come as a shock.