The Liverpool Echo claims that Liverpool are planning to relaunch a bid to bring Mahmoud Dahoud to Anfield. The Reds, as per the same report, chased the 2o-year-old Syria-born German midfielder throughout the summer but Andre Schubert’s side stood firm on keeping the youngster at Borussia Park after letting Granit Xhaka join Arsenal in summer. With the kind of form Liverpool are in since the start of the season, Klopp will want to bolster his squad in January to strengthen their title bid and it seems that Dahoud is his prime target.
Dahoud has struggled to get regular playing time at Borussia Park this season after refusing to sign a new contract. With just 18 months remaining on his contract, Dahoud could very well be on his way out in winter and Liverpool seems like his most likely destination. So what about the 20-year-old? How will he suit Liverpool? Let us have a look.
Dahoud was installed in Schubert’s midfield towards the beginning of 2015/16 season and had a brilliant breakthrough season in the middle of the park alongside now Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka. Kramer spent two seasons on loan at Gladbach before returning to Bayer Leverkusen in the summer and Dahoud played in the German international’s role with perfection.
Dahoud is primarily an archetypal box-to-box midfielder with brilliant passing abilities and technique. Klopp likes players with high work rates who can be useful on either end of the pitch and Dahoud is a taylor-made midfielder for him. Adam Lallana, primarily a number ten, is cherishing a deeper role in a 3-man midfield under Klopp but Dahoud is a player who naturally is a player in that position.
The 20-year-old is a small player with a frame of 5’9″ which means that he lacks physical strength and is poor aerially but he makes up for these with his excellent ability to read the game and an ability to win the ball in midfield with his intercepting abilities. Gladbach are a pressing team and their wingbacks burst forward on every opportunity and for that their central midfielders need to cover a plenty of ground. In fact, Dahoud covered an average of 13 km per game last season. He is a real engine and won’t struggle in the system of Klopp at Liverpool.
Dahoud boasts a brilliant balance when he has the ball at his feet and can pick out a pass, be it long or short. He uses his body to cleverly to manipulate space, turns his way out of trouble and is happy to take a player on with skill and trickery rather than pace. Still only 20, the youngster could be a long-term success at Anfield.
Liverpool do have plenty of midfielders already on their books in the likes of Henderson, Can, Lallana, Wijnaldum, Lucas, Grujic and there are promising youngsters like Brannagan and Ejaria also progressing pretty well. However, if Liverpool can keep up playing at this level, they will definitely have Champions League football at Anfield next season and more squad depth will be needed. Dahoud is a perfect player for Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool and it will be one hell of a deal if it happens.
