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The summer has begun positively for Jurgen Klopp. The German manager doesn't want to waste any time in the transfer market. Within a few days after the frustrating loss in the Champions League final, Liverpool announced the arrival of the Brazilian defensive midfielder Fabinho out of the blue. The efficiency in which the entire deal was carried out left the rivals totally stunned.
If lessons from last summer on Vigil van Dijk were learnt, then we can expect few more deals completed in the coming few weeks. This week, the possible signing of the attacking midfielder Nabil Fekir has been the main discussion point in Europe. Rightly so, since they are missing the creative midfield display after Philippe Coutinho's exit. So who is Nabil Fekir?
Nabil Fekir - What does he bring?
The sudden drop in confidence and momentum among the players with Salah’s exit in the Champions League final didn’t go unnoticed. The lack of depth was cruelly exposed the whole season, especially in the final, leaving a distraught Klopp to accept his fate.
Whilst, Liverpool blow teams away who have similar attacking styles, they sometimes fail to break down opponents who sit deep. Nabil Fekir had been sensational for Ligue 1 in the last 3 years. He has scored 52 goals, 28 assists since joining Lyon in 2013-14. Fekir's passing accuracy is in the high 80s.
His ability to dribble in tight situations will surely make Liverpool more potent in the final third. He has also scored some wonderful goals from set pieces where Liverpool need more quality after Coutinho. He has been scouted by the Liverpool team for a while and most definitely checks all the boxes that Klopp is looking for to fill the current gaps.
Latest reports from various French and English media suggest that Liverpool are currently negotiating a price for the Frenchman. Lyon may want to make most of the premium associated with the World Cup year. The expectation from the Liverpool side, however, is to close the deal before World Cup starts.
Defence again?
A creative midfielder is necessary but not sufficient. The arrival of Virgin van Dijk has made Liverpool's defense look much better. The partnership with Dejan Lovren has also improved. Lovren's own performances have never looked any better. But there are still questions marks on the goalkeeping situation.
Even after considering that fatal mistakes on the UCL Final, Loris Karius has had a decent season. The latest medical report shows the keeper had a concussion which may have impacted his performance in the final. But fans are less forgiving. A club of Liverpool's stature should have a top GKs who represent their national side.
Simon Mignolet is currently No.2 for Belgium and may be exiting the club this summer due to lack of play time. Karius couldn't earn himself a place in the Germany World Cup squad. A first-choice goalkeeper should be a top priority to avoid any more Champions League Final calamitous nights.
Alisson Becker, Liverpool's opponent in the Champions League Final against AS Roma is believed to be Klopp's favored choice. The Brazilian has been scouted heavily by Liverpool since late last year. His natural style of distribution suits with Klopp's speed, pace and press.
He is a great shot stopper, strong in the air where Liverpool have had bitter experiences in the recent past. Moreover, being No.1 of his national side ahead of Ederson - Premier League's best goalkeeper this season speaks volumes of his ability. Roma believed to have set a very high asking price of around £79 million for the Brazilian.
Though Alisson is Liverpool's first choice, they are keeping a close watch on another hot pursuit Atletico Madrid's Jan Oblak. It remains to be seen whether Fenway Sports Group will open the war chest for Klopp to break the transfer record for the club twice in the same year.
The road ahead
Much of Liverpool's success next season will depend upon who they buy in these two key positions. This team has performed outstandingly despite key setbacks and depth in squad. Financially, the club is in a sound position to invest in the squad after two successive UCL qualifications, domestic top 4 positions and runner's up in the Champions League. Continuing on the good work is what finally counts. Mohamed Salah firmly believes in ending the title drought as he recently said
"We have a great team, we have a great manager, so everything is good at the club. I'm sure we are going to win trophies together."
Liverpool had been banging on the doors of trophies quite frequently under Klopp. But now they need the key missing talents for the final big push to unlock the door to greatness. Without titles, Liverpool run into the potential risks of losing world-class talents. From the past 8 years of experience, who knows better than Fenway Sports Group how difficult it is to break the vicious cycle.
Can Liverpool pull off these two transfers? What do you think? Tell us in the comments below!
