Liverpool are waiting for their season to restart so that they can seal the deal without much ado. However, the manager should also be concerned about the reinforcements that he is supposed to bring in for the next season. While the Reds going for a world-class forward would have been no surprise, the fact that the club is also looking for a defender to join their ranks would perplex many onlookers.
Report now suggests that Liverpool target Thomas Meunier is also in consideration by Tottenham Hotspur as Spurs want to bring the PSG man to North London. The Express reports that manager Jose Mourinho is keen to boost his right-back slot amid interest from the likes of Liverpool and Manchester United.
Do Liverpool need Thomas Meunier?
While the front three of Liverpool have been dynamic for the past couple of seasons and made a certain impact on the overall fate of the club, there are other players in the side who should share the glory equally with the trio. At the heart of the defence, Van Dijk has been instrumental behind the recent displays of the Merseyside club. Alisson Becker has also added a certain composure in the goalkeeping slot.
However, the supporters should not forget the contributions of the Liverpool full-backs as both Andrew Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold have done brilliantly for the side, and the manager has made the most of his tactical philosophy placing them at the centre-stage. Without the lung-bursting runs of the wing-backs through the flanks, the success of the club would have been elusive. For the same reason, the whole of Europe holds these two players in high regard.
However, it can be argued that Liverpool do not have enough backup at the right-back slot and the justification for that could be that no team can have a player like Alexander-Arnold in the bench. Although the club still has Clyne in the ranks, the English star is a forgotten man, and it would be very difficult for him to regain his past reputation at Anfield. In this situation, the club could do with a player like Thomas Meunier, but it is an open question as to why the Belgian would be willing to sit on the bench and wait for his chances.
What could Thomas Meunier bring at Anfield?
The PSG man has primarily played as a right-back, although he could be asked to ply his trade at the right side of the midfield. He joined the French team in 2016 and so far has made 84 league appearances for the club. Much in the mould of Liverpool’s current right-sided defender, the 28-year-old is also adept at making the forward runs and joining the side in the attack.
This season he has been fielded 16 times in Ligue 1 and has done decently for the side in the defence. The Belgium international has made 1.7 tackles and 1.1 interceptions on an average per game in the league. His ball distribution is also very neat as he has completed 85.3% of his total passes. What would further excite the Liverpool supporters is the fact that the physically astute defender has made 1.2 key passes this season, which could draw comparisons to Alexander-Arnold.
Considering all these aspects, Thomas Meunier would be a decent signing for the Reds, and Klopp should look to get a deal done if possible. However, this seems unlikely given the financial condition of the clubs and the player’s wish to feature regularly in the starting 11.
Stats from Whoscored.
