According to a recent report from the Express, Liverpool are looking to hijack a move for Napoli’s midfielder Fabian Ruiz with whom Barcelona have been linked with for quite a while. The midfielder is being valued around £74m, and Klopp has put him on top of his wanted list. Along with Barcelona; Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Manchester United have also been linked with the midfield ace.
Why Barcelona need a midfielder?
We expect the Catalan giants to invest in a midfielder or two in the upcoming transfer window. Recently, reports (Daily mail) emerged that Barcelona are willing to allow Ivan Rakitic to leave. Arturo Vidal could also be on the move, and Sergio Busquets isn’t going to be around for too long. Hence, the club would need to revamp their midfield options, and the 23-year-old Ruiz can be one of the standout options available in the future.
The midfielder has made 32 appearances for Napoli this season and has contributed with three goals and two assists. The six-time Spanish international emerged from Real Betis’ academy, and he moved to Napoli in the summer of 2018. Since then Ruiz has put in influential displays which have increased his stock in the football transfer market.
When clubs like Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Liverpool are chasing someone, then there must be something special in the player. Given that Ruiz is still 23, he can be a long term option for the club he joins. Moreover, his best is yet to come, and it remains to be seen who would get his signature.
As mentioned, Barcelona would desperately need to bring in a midfielder or two and hence, they should up their ante in pursuit of Ruiz with Liverpool showing keen interest in him at the moment.
Why will Ruiz be a good fit?
Ruiz can either play as a no. 8 or in a left-sided midfield role. He is known for his passing range as he is calm and composed on the ball. Ruiz is capable of taking long-range strikes, and he can come up with few crucial goals from midfield. The midfielder hardly gives away possession in the middle as he showcases exemplary ball control in tight spaces.
His spatial awareness and ability to get in space between the midfield and defence line stand out. Ruiz would be tailor-made signing for a team like Barcelona as they have been longing for a left-sided midfielder since Iniesta’s departure. Therefore they should go all out to get Ruiz’s signature as he can be a long term solution to their midfield problems.
