Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool took a step closer to the Champions League group stages this year with two away goals in their qualifier against Hoffenheim recently. However, the draw against Watford and the late goal they conceded in Germany have shown that the squad at the club still has some frailties going into the next season.
The manager is still searching for players who can add quality to the first team this summer but has not been able to land two of his top transfer targets in Naby Keita and Virgil van Dijk. But with time running out, Klopp seems to have decided to move on and is now looking at alternatives.
Defence remains an issue for the club but they are also in search of a midfielder, a defensive one preferably and the latest name they are extensively linked with is Inter Milan star Geoffrey Kondogbia.
A transfer target for the club from the previous summer, Kondogbia is one of the most dependable midfielders at the moment in Europe. He is now unsettled in Milan as reports from Talksport claim that he has fallen out with the club and is training alone. So should Liverpool make a definitive move for him?
A product of the academy at Lens, France, the 24-year old French international is an all-round midfielder, who is capable of sitting back and shutting shop as much as he is capable of creating chances at the other end. Known for his strength and technique on the ball, Kondogbia is an excellent passer with sensational vision.
He seems to have a path-breaking pass up his sleeve most of the times while his ability to read the game and sit back to defend is what will attract Klopp more. The Reds are one of the weakest sides defensively and need to add a centre-back to make sure that they can compete for silverware this season.
It looks like they are ready to wait till late in the market for Dutch ace Virgil van Dijk but spending on Kondogbia could solve the problems up to a certain extent.
He is strong in the air and will add strength in set-piece situations, protecting the Achilles heel of the club. He can act as the first line of defence, reducing the pressure on the backline but more importantly, he can be an asset in games where Liverpool find it hard to break teams down.
He is a smart player and has already made more than 150 senior appearances in domestic leagues in Spain, France and Italy to add to his five international caps. He is also a long term option but is he right man for Liverpool?
