According to a recent report by Sky Sports, Liverpool are keeping tabs on the development of Eintracht Frankfurt central defender Evan N’Dicka this season. The same source has also stated that the Reds will face stiff competition from Arsenal, Valencia, Sevilla, Inter Milan and AC Milan in pursuit of the Bundesliga defender.
N’Dicka’s Incredible Rise In The Bundesliga
The 20-year-old has enjoyed a solid season at the Commerzbank-Arena and has been responsible for putting in a string of impressive performances at the heart of Adi Hütter’s backline. He has featured in 25 matches for the German outfit this term, scoring one goal and providing two assists in all competitions which proves that he can be influential at both ends of the field.
N’Dicka has averaged 1.3 tackles, 1.4 interceptions and 2.7 clearances in every 90 minutes of league football this season (stats via whoscored). His incredible contributions on the defensive end had helped Frankfurt steer clear of the relegation zone and climb to 12th place in the league table before their season came to an abrupt halt due to the recent COVID-19 outbreak.
The French centre-half is an AJ Auxerre youth product, who has represented France at various youth levels but is yet to secure his first senior cap for Didier Deschamps’ Les Bleus. However, if he can continue showing signs of improvement, then it is only a matter of time before he gets a chance to play for his country at the senior level.
What Will The French Defensive Ace Bring To Anfield?
N’Dicka has gradually transformed himself into a reliable presence at the centre of Hütter’s defence. He is not afraid to battle for every loose possession of the ball and can make some critical interceptions for his side in the process. The France Under-21 international has also proven himself to be effective when clearing the danger out from the back. The youngster can be a commanding defender inside his own box as he can often get the better of the opposition using his strength and power.
However, his ball-distribution still has some room for improvement after he made 78.5% of his attempted passes in the Bundesliga this season (stats via whoscored). At 20, N’Dicka has a very promising career ahead of him and could be in line to break into the world-class bracket someday. Furthermore, the uncertainly surrounding Dejan Lovren’s future at Anfield might mean that Jurgen Klopp could sign the Frenchman to replace the ageing Croatian defender this summer.
N’Dicka will a perfect long-term signing for the Reds as he will be able to push Joe Gomez and Joel Matip for a place alongside Virgil Van Dijk in Klopp’s starting XI. The French defender will also allow the German boss to tweak his preferred 4-3-3 formation to a 3-4-3 or 3-5-2 set-up which might free up space for the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson to exploit out on the wide areas.
