Liverpool have joined the transfer race for Lyon midfielder Houssem Aouar this summer.
Houssem Aouar, 23, has two years remaining on his current Lyon contract but it is believed that the Ligue 1 club wants to cash in on the player this summer. The French midfielder, who has been linked with a departure over the last 18 months, has made 170 appearances for Lyon after graduating from their academy.
Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur are leading the race for his signature but will face competition from Manchester United. Liverpool, meanwhile, have been following Aouar’s progress for a while and could be tempted to make a move, with an offer of €25m thought to be enough to prise him away from the Groupama Stadium.
After spending money to sign defender Ibrahima Konate from RB Leipzig, the Reds are likely to make further additions to strengthen their squad ahead of the 2021/22 campaign. Braced for a busy summer ahead, Jurgen Klopp’s club will have to show a lot of ambition in the market to challenge the likes of Manchester City and Manchester United for the Premier League title.
Jurgen Klopp must revamp Liverpool’s midfield department
Jurgen Klopp has a lot of decisions to make when it comes to the Reds’ midfield.
Georginio Wijnaldum’s departure to Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer earlier this summer has left a huge void in the squad that Klopp undoubtedly has to fill. Wijnaldum was a consistent performer at Anfield, playing a key role in the club’s Champions League and Premier League title triumphs under Klopp.
The Netherlands international’s exit means the Liverpool boss currently has the likes of Jordan Henderson, Fabinho, Thiago Alcantara, Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Curtis Jones, Xherdan Shaqiri and James Milner in the midfield department.
Henderson and Fabinho had to play in a makeshift centre-back role at times last season due to defensive injury crisis, but they will be back to their original midfield positions in the new campaign. Thiago is expected to deliver the goods this term after failing to live up to the lofty expectations in his debut Premier League season.
Keita and Oxlade-Chamberlain didn’t make much of an impact last season and their futures remain up in the air, while Shaqiri has already attracted interest from Serie A club Lazio. With Milner past his prime, it is clear why Klopp must revamp the Reds’ midfield during this summer transfer window. Injuries to starters in midfield could stretch the squad and Klopp simply cannot afford that.
Houssem Aouar could be a terrific addition to Liverpool’s midfield
Houssem Aouar has been a consistent performer for Lyon since enjoying his breakthrough in the 2017/18 Ligue 1 campaign. Primarily a box-to-box midfielder, he can play in various positions across the midfield. A tally of 23 goals and 19 assists in 127 league appearances for Lyon suggest he could add a lot of creativity and goals to this Liverpool side.
The one-cap French international is a tireless worker in the middle of the park, which Klopp expects from his midfielders. Due to his ability and experience, Aouar would be an excellent addition as well as an upgrade on Wijnaldum at the Merseyside club.
With the likes of Arsenal, Spurs and Manchester United also interested, Liverpool must hurry up and complete a deal for Aouar.
I am Rohan Sengupta from one of the busiest cities in India, Mumbai. A Journalism graduate with a keen interest in sports, football is something I simply cannot live without and writing, discussing and analyzing the game is what I do 24*7.
