For just the second time in seven years, Anfield will witness Champions League football and Jurgen Klopp is determined to make it a memorable one. Unlike under Brendan Rodgers previously, Liverpool have a bigger pull to them this summer and are ready to break their transfer record several times this summer to improve their squad and give themselves a shot at the highest level.
This has seen the club linked with a move for a number of players and the latest name linked with a move to Anfield is Barcelona’s Rafinha. According to a respectable Journalist from Spain, Gerard Romero, Liverpool are set to battle it out with Italian side AS Roma for a move for the Brazilian midfielder before the start of the next season.
The 24-year old versatile central midfielder is one of the most exciting players around in Europe but has not been able to establish a regular place in the first team at the Camp Nou. He has just 18 league appearances for the club but has scored six goals, picking up a couple of assist, helping his side to a second-place finish.
At his age , he will want to play as many games as possible but with Barcelona planning a squad overhaul, they are expected to spend big on star players, pushing Rafinha further down the pecking order. His contract in Spain runs till 2020 so he might not be available on the cheap but is definitely a sensational addition to this Liverpool squad.
Capable of playing on the wing or also as a central midfielder, Rafinha is a playmaker of the highest order. He loves to have the ball at his feet, to use his dribbling and passing abilities to break through opponent defences. He has shown great strength and ball retaining abilities, which will make him a hit in the English league and playing for a club like Liverpool can help him reach his potential.
The likes of Adam Lallana and Georginio Wijnaldum will be the players who will have sacrifice their place for the Brazilian. But in a season when Liverpool are expected to fight on four fronts, they will want all the depth they can acquire and Rafinha fits the bill perfectly.
Wijnaldum has done pretty well this season but he might not be the first choice come next campaign if Klopp decides to spend on the Barcelona man. With another CDM also on the shopping list, if Klopp is able to lure Rafinha to Anfield, that will solve their midfield problems for once and all.
And with the success his fellow Brazilians have had at Anfield, the 24-year old will definitely be looking forward to a move to Anfield. But is he the right man for Liverpool?
