What’s the story?
Borussia Dortmund’s Neven Subotic has heaped praise on former manager Jurgen Klopp amidst speculation of him moving to England, according to a report by the Daily Mail . Moreover, his agent, Frieder Gamm, also sparked the speculation by hinting at a move to the Premier League.
Subotic was quoted as saying, “Klopp has been my mentor for nine years, he supported me, encouraged me, had trust in me. With him and Dortmund I had the most amazing time. For that, I am forever thankful. He was and is an important person in my life and I owe him a lot.”
Gamm, on the other hand, said that although there were several offers for the player back in summer from all over Europe, the rib operation was the priority at that time. When asked about a move to England he said, “Everything is possible in football.”
In case you didn’t know…
Subotic was linked with a move to England last summer. However, an injury had hindered any possible transfer. Now, fresh speculation has emerged linking the Serbian defender to a move to Liverpool.
The 28-year-old had earlier worked with Liverpool boss Klopp during his time at Dortmund. The German manager had signed Subotic at the beginning of his successful tenure with Dortmund. The duo went on to win five major trophies together at the Westfalenstadion.
The heart of the matter
Since Klopp’s appointment as the Liverpool boss, Subotic has been heavily linked with reuniting with his former manager at Anfield. However, the move has not materialised as of yet.
Subotic had earned 36 caps for his national side and scored twice before retiring from international matches in 2013. He is now a part of Dortmund’s second team as he looks to recover from his injury completely and regain match fitness.
Defence is a major area of concern for Liverpool and Klopp might be looking to bring new defensive reinforcements. However, Liverpool is likely to face stiff competition from the likes of Arsenal, Everton, and Middlesbrough.
What next?
Regaining match fitness will be a priority for Subotic rather than a move to a new club. However, a change might just be what the Serbian needs. Klopp has maintained a good relationship with all the players he has worked with before and it remains to be seen if he brings any of them to the Merseyside club.
Sportskeeda’s take
The former Mainz man could be the ideal person to lead Liverpool’s defence if he regains full fitness. He has proved his capabilities earlier but it would be interesting to see whether Liverpool take such a risk or not.
