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What's the rumour?
Liverpool are in the market for a new midfielder, and they have reportedly emerged as frontrunners to sign OGC Nice midfielder, Jean Michael Seri, who is also being targeted by the likes of Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, according to reports from The Sun (via talkSPORT).
Seri has a contract with the French club which is due to expire next year, in 2019 and is reported to be worth around £35 million.
In case you didn't know...
The Ivory Coast international had previously been linked with Barcelona last year and was on the verge of joining the Catalan giants before the deal fell through as the terms related to the transfer fee could not be met by both clubs.
Seri joined Nice in 2015 and has become a vital figure in the centre of midfield for the French club. He played in all 38 Ligue 1 matches in his debut season as the club finished fourth, and qualified for the UEFA Europa League.
The heart of the matter
This season, Jean Seri has made 34 appearances in all competitions scoring once and setting up 4 goals, operating both as a central midfielder and in a holding role. His strengths are his passing, his through balls and that fact that he is not afraid to shoot from long range.
Statistically, the 26-year-old averages 1 shot, 2 key passes, 1 tackle per game and has an impressive pass completion rate of 91%. Further, he does not make the mistake of diving into challenges and making reckless fouls.
Rumour probability/rating: 7/10
Following the collapse of the transfer in August, Barcelona are allegedly no longer in the running to make another move for Jean Michael Seri. This leaves Liverpool as one of the leadi contenders to land the Nice midfielder.
They will be looking for reinforcements, and could be in need of a replacement in the middle of the park, as Emre Can looks destined to leave the club to join Juventus for free in the summer. The Reds have still not offered the German a new contract and it is very likely that both parties will decide to part ways.
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Author's take
Jean Michael Seri would be a like-for-like replacement for the potentially departing Emre Can. Liverpool have Naby Keita arriving in the summer and partnering him up with the Nice midfielder could prove to be the perfect combination. The Ivorian has all the tools to be a success in the Premier League.
With the 4-3-3 formation that Jurgen Klopp plays, Seri would be ideal to sit in the middle, allowing Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to go forward and contribute in attack.
