Having sold one of their most important players at a crucial time in the season, Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool now have a fortune to spend on players that they deem fit for their club. The January transfer window will surely be a busy one at Anfield, which has already seen the Liverpool sign a Dutchman in Virgil van Dijk. But the Coutinho exit has left the club in search of a replacement.
They have the funds to invest in the right players and this has seen Liverpool linked with some exciting players recently. One such name constantly doing the rounds is AS Roma star Kevin Strootman.
Like in the summer when Liverpool managed to sign Mohamed Salah, Italian outfit Roma will have to sell to balance their books and could see Strootman given permission to speak to the Reds. And reports suggest that Jurgen Klopp is convinced about his quality and is ready to land him. But is he a good option for the Reds?
“The link that was missing at AS Roma” – A tag the Dutch international was labelled with when he joined the club back in 2013. A fan favourite in the Italian capital, the 26-year-old central midfielder by trait, who is adept at in an attacking role. He is a disciplined midfielder, whose industry in the middle of the park is as important as his creativity in the final third.
Adept at finding runners with through balls and also creating chances patiently, Strootman is a complete midfielder, who is effective at both ends of the field. He is one of the most consistent midfielders in Serie A over the last couple of years but playing in a slightly different system this season, his numbers have significantly gone down.
He has just a goal in 13 top-flight starts in the country this season but has 10 goals and 17 assists in 84 Serie A games along with 14 goals and 31 assists in 132 appearances in Eredivisie. He is currently the skipper of the national side, with 39 appearances to his name and is an established star at the highest level.
He is not as creative and skilful as the Brazilian Liverpool have lost recently but his attributes are perfect for Klopp’s style of play at Anfield. He may not be able to completely replace Philippe Coutinho but Strootman will only make an already exciting Liverpool squad, even stronger.
He is, however cup-tied for the Champions League and will not be able to represent Liverpool this season in that competition. So do you think Liverpool should look to sign him this January?
