According to a recent report by Sport, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is closely monitoring the development of LOSC Lille midfielder Boubakary Soumaré, who has been rated at €40m back in January. The same source has also claimed that the Reds can expect to face fierce competition from Real Madrid, Manchester United, Chelsea and Newcastle United in pursuit of the French powerhouse this summer.
Soumare’s Spectacular Rise In The Ligue 1
The 21-year-old has experienced another solid season at Lille after putting in a string of commanding displays at the heart of Christophe Galtier’s midfield. He has made 30 appearances for the French outfit this term and has just got one assist to show for his efforts across all competitions.
Despite struggling to make an impact in the game offensively, Soumare deserves a lot of credit for his defensive work after averaging 1.0 tackles, 0.8 interceptions and 0.4 clearances in every 90 minutes of league football. However, to his credit, he has performed a bit better in the UEFA Champions League where he made an average of 1.0 tackles, 2.0 interceptions and 1.5 clearances per game in the six group stage matches he has been a part of this season (stats via whoscored).
The Paris Saint-Germain youth product has also represented France at various youth levels but is yet to make a senior appearance for his nation thus far. However, a high-profile summer move to Liverpool could give him the ideal platform to showcase his talents and catch the attention of Didier Deschamps ahead of the UEFA European Championship which will now take place in the summer of 2021.
What Will The French Whizkid Bring To Merseyside?
Soumare is a tough-tackling defensive midfielder who can use his strength to overpower the opposition and win possession back for his team at the centre of the park. He is not afraid to get down and dirty with a few tackles and can also make some vital last-ditch clearances for his side. The French youngster has the ceiling to become a world-class holding midfielder in the future if he can keep getting better and better with each season.
Klopp has currently got Fabinho as his only natural defensive midfield option. At the same time, Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson has also done well in that position during the Brazilian’s injury absence earlier this season. However, the Merseyside club can undeniably benefit from adding more competition for Fabinho if they intend to compete for multiple trophies in the coming years.
At 21, Soumare’s peak years are ahead of him which Klopp could look to utilise if he can seal a move for him this summer. The French starlet will not only add some physicality to the Reds midfield but also enhance their squad depth significantly before the start of the new campaign. Furthermore, he will offer Klopp the freedom to experiment with his team selection, formations and tactics more often which will be a bonus considering how poorly Liverpool have performed in the domestic cup competitions under their German head coach’s managerial reign.
