Adam Lallana may have seen just 30 minutes of Premier League action this season but his goal at Old Trafford might end up being one of the most important moments for Liverpool in the league this season.
The former Southampton man has been fit since the start of the current campaign, but his current contract with The Reds comes to an end next summer.
Reports today claim that Adam Lallana is happy to stay at Anfield and is waiting on a contract extension. So should Liverpool offer him one, or should they let him leave on a free transfer at the end of the season?
Adam Lallana And The Klopp Love-In:
The 31-year old may have made just six league starts since the start of the 2017/18 league campaign but he still remains an integral part of Klopp’s squad at Anfield.
Lallana has certainly lost his place in the first team, but like in the Champions League final in Kyiv last year, he has often been the man Klopp calls off the bench to change things in the midfield.
An energetic midfielder, who loves to have the ball at his feet, Lallana is one of the most gifted players at Liverpool. He can dribble past players with ease, is strong with both his feet and can create chances when played in an advanced role.
At his age, he may no longer be able to make an impact in the starting XI on a regular basis but he certainly has what it takes to change things coming off the bench, as he showed at Old Trafford recently.
Adam Lallana has just 22 goals and 20 assists in 162 games for Liverpool but he is a player that makes Klopp’s midfield blueprint work down to the letter.
His ability to press and win the ball back and to set up his team on the counter, while also being able to dictate play in the final third are all attributes that have seen Klopp stick with Lallana whenever he is fit.
The Caveat:
However, the real problem is the fact that the former English midfielder has missed 39 games in the last two seasons. In fact, he missed games in which Klopp would have loved to have him in his midfield.
He has certainly become unreliable and give his age, might not be able to turn things around any time soon.
But playing with wages of just around £70k, he is a squad player that Liverpool will find hard to replace in the current transfer market.
So Klopp will surely be tempted to extend his Anfield stay. However, he might want to see if the 31-year old keeps himself fit for the rest of the season before offering him a new deal.
If Lallana does end up missing chunks of games through injury this season as well, Liverpool will certainly not mind losing him on a free transfer at the end of the season.
