Liverpool have enjoyed a fine start to the new Premier League season, picking seven points out of a possible nine. They saw their 100 per cent start to the campaign taken away on Sunday when the ten men of Chelsea held them to a 1-1 draw at Anfield.
The Reds went trophyless last season, with a combination of injuries and form of key players seeing them finish 17 points off the champions Manchester City.
Jürgen Klopp’s side did well to gain enough momentum in the back end of 2020/21 campaign and finish third, but for them to challenge for the Premier League title again, they must make a couple of new additions to the squad after the only acquisition of Ibrahima Konate from RB Leipzig in this transfer window.
With the summer transfer window set to slam shut on August 31, here are three players Liverpool should target.
#1 Marcelo Brozovic (Inter Milan)
Liverpool are yet to sign a replacement for Georginio Wijnaldum, one of Jürgen Klopp’s most trusted players who left the club on a free transfer to join Paris Saint-Germain earlier this summer.
Teenage prodigy Harvey Elliot is now a first-team player and started the 1-1 draw with Chelsea, but the Reds could do with a midfield signing particularly due to the fitness issues of Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and the departure of Xherdan Shaqiri.
Inter Milan’s Marcelo Brozovic, in that regard, would be a solid addition to Liverpool’s midfield ranks. With just one year remaining on his contract, Brozovic, 28, was tipped to leave Inter this summer but that hasn’t happened so far.
While the defending Serie A champions want to extend the Croat’s contract, Klopp must attempt to get the midfielder to Anfield. In Brozovic, Liverpool would get a highly energetic, tenacious and technically gifted midfielder who’ll perfectly fit into Klopp’s system.
#2 Raphinha (Leeds United)
Xherdan Shaqiri has swapped Liverpool for Lyon and Divock Origi could also head out before Tuesday’s transfer deadline. Letting go off players and not replacing them could come back to haunt Klopp. The Reds boss should avoid such a situation and must make an attempt to sign Leeds United winger Raphinha.
Raphinha was a revelation for Leeds United last season having joined from French club Rennes. With his pace, unpredictability, directness and movement, the Brazilian was a nightmare to defend. He has adapted to the Premier League like a duck to water and has the required qualities to play for a club like Liverpool.
At 24, Raphinha, who has been linked with a move to Anfield, is still relatively young and could take his game to the next level under the guidance of Klopp. He would instantly bolster Liverpool’s attacking ranks, whilst being a perfect back-up to Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane.
#3 Dusan Vlahovic (Fiorentina)
Liverpool faced problems scoring goals last season with the deadly trio of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino failing to link up as good as they’ve done in recent years, while Diogo Jota had an injury-hit debut campaign at Anfield.
Regardless of Salah and Mane showing glimpses of getting back to their old self in the first three games of the new season and Jota fit and firing, the Reds must bring in a natural goal-scorer. In that regard, Fiorentina young gun Dusan Vlahovic would be ideal for Liverpool.
Dusan Vlahovic, 21, is one of the most highly-regarded young talents in European football and he starred in an average Fiorentina side with 21 goals in 37 Serie A outings last season. He has started the new campaign well with three goals in as many games in all formats.
An out-and-out centre-forward, the Serbian is deadly in the box and likes to drop deep, use his towering stature to hold the ball up and allow the teammates to make runs in and around the final third. Vlahovic is also aerially strong and would be an upgrade over Firmino.
All in all, the Fiorentina starlet would further enhance Liverpool’s squad and give them a different dimension in attack. Thus, the Merseysiders must try their luck to sign Vlahovic from Fiorentina.
