It has been a bizarre summer at Anfield with the new manager Jürgen Klopp bringing in his own ways of getting deals done in the transfer window. The manager has added plenty of firepower to his armory from the previous season and has removed all the deadwood from the squad to help him go into the next season as a stronger club. However, he still has some work to do on his defense before it is top-class but the manager has been continuously linked with attacking talent in recent times. Though the club also need a defensive midfielder, papers around the country have linked them with moves for attacking midfielder and once such player who has recently been on the radar of the Premier League club is Anderson Talisca from Benfica.
At just 22-years of age, Anderson Talisca is one of the most promising youngsters in the country and has attracted interests from many clubs in Europe in the last couple of transfer seasons. He has not played enough international games to warrant a work permit to play in the Premier League and hence is reportedly close to Wolves, a Championship outfit. But should Liverpool hang on to the midfielder? Can he provide anything to the Red of Merseyside next season?
Born in Feira de Santana, Brazil in 1994, the 22-year old is a youth product of Bahia where he joined as a youngster 7 years ago. He made his professional debut against Corinthians scoring just a game later against Sao Paulo. He moved to Benfica 2 years ago and has scored 14 goals and 52 appearances so far for the Portuguese club. He has also represented his country at the U-20 and U-23 sides and has established himself as an exciting talent in recent times.
Strengths
Predominantly an attacking midfielder, Talisca gets the best out of himself playing as a support striker. He often finds himself in dangerous areas from where he can affect the game while his clever and precise passing make him a dangerous player in the final third. He has a thunderous left-foot that finds the back of the net from different angles and distances and his free-kick taking ability has also caught the headlines at Benfica. He is also working on his defensive side of the game as his ‘successful tackles’ rose in number over the last year. He is a good fit for most leagues in Europe.
Weaknesses
Despite his tall frame, Talisca has hardly been able to show his aerial prowess. Though not playing in the most physical league in Europe, Talisca is playing in a relatively competitive domestic league and he has not been able to show the physical side of his game in the 2 seasons at Benfica. His skill and technique bail him out most times but when playing against top-class opponents, he may find it hard to even settle into the game. He is also a bit rash in his tackling as he over-commits at times, making him a liability in the midfield. However, at his age, he will always learn the more games he gets under his belt.
Opportunities
The 22-year old has cemented his place in the starting XI at Benfica around a team that has some top quality stars. He is playing with players who are regarded as some of the best in Europe and has been able to learn a lot with the consistent game time he has got in the last two seasons. His exploits have also seen Premier League club Liverpool take notice and if Talisca wants to take the next step, a move to Anfield is as good as it can get. With fellow Brazilians a plenty at Anfield he can also settle into the team without much fuzz and if can find some form after moving to Anfield, he can be the next best European star under Jürgen Klopp.
Threats
At his age, Talisca, though needs a big club in Europe, needs regular game time. He is a regular starter at Benfica and has shown great improvement in almost every week that he has played. However, if he makes the move to Anfield, he will not be able to have enough game time under his belt and though he will improve as a player, he may not be able to realize his potential. However, with rumors now linking him with a move to Wolves as well, it may not be a bad move considering that he will be the first choice at the club and that it will also help him adjust to the English style of play before moving to a bigger club.
