There are some rumours that never fade down and Will Hughes to Liverpool is one of those. Since the young blonde midfielder broke into the first team of Derby County back in 2011, Liverpool have been linked with the midfield maestro time and time again but a deal was never struck.
The young Englishman had been linked with a switch to Anfield numerous times during Brendan Rodgers’ time at the club and it seemed that the interest in him from the Premier League heavyweights had dried up. However, recent reports suggest otherwise.
The Daily Star claims that Hughes has recently turned down a contract extension at Pride Park and is looking for a step up now in his career. His contract with Derby County ends in the summer of 2018 and there are suggestions that the Rams will be open to offers for the 21-year-old. The Daily Star also reports that Liverpool are monitoring the situation of their long-term target and could make a bid for him in January or the next summer.
Will Hughes burst onto the scene with his boyhood club Derby a long time back and has grown as a player over the years. For a player who is just 21 years of age, 167 first team appearances for a club like Derby County is highly impressive. The Rams have been regularly making the top six of the Championship over the years but have failed to make it to the Premier League through playoffs.
Hughes is perhaps ready for a step up in his career and should move to the Premier League as early as possible to ensure he acclimatises sooner. He has been a regular for the England under 21 side and now needs a bigger stage to showcase his skills.
You rarely will see English players with better technique when compared to the 21-year-old. The midfielder is blessed with a brilliant ball-control. Predominantly left-footed, Hughes’ passing in top-notch. He has maintained a passing accuracy of 82.1% this season while playing 1.5 key passes every game. The youngster is primarily a number eight but can also play as a deep-lying playmaker.
Hughes is composed on the ball and can pick out passes, be it long or short. Blessed with a frame of 6’1″, he is also pretty strong and decent defensively. The English under-21 international has made as many as 3.3 tackles every game.
In Klopp’s 3-man midfield, Hughes can slot in any of the three positions and can do a fine job. Still only 21, he has his best days ahead of him and Klopp can mould him into a gem of a midfielder.
