According to a recent report by The Daily Mail, Liverpool are keeping a keen eye on Olympiacos full-back Kostas Tsimikas this summer. The same source has also claimed that the Reds could face some stiff competition from Leicester City in pursuit of the Greek defender in this off-season.
Tsimikas’ Outstanding Season In Greece
The 24-year-old enjoyed a brilliant season at the Karaiskaki Stadium after producing a run of productive displays down the left flank. He picked up seven assists in 46 matches for the Greek giants last season across all fronts which goes to show his creative influence in the final third.
Tsimikas has been in sparkling form for Olympiacos in Europe as evidenced by his average of 3.4 tackles, 2.2 interceptions, 2.8 clearances, 0.5 shots, 1.3 key passes and 1.7 dribbles per game in the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League. He has also been quite careful when distributing the ball after completing 79% of his attempted passes in European football (stats via whoscored).
The Thessaloniki-born talent has earned three senior caps for the Greek national team but is yet to open his goal-scoring account for his nation. A high-profile summer move to Anfield could give him a more prominent platform to prove his worth which might help him secure a lot more caps for his country in the years to come.
What Will The Greek International Add To Jurgen Klopp’s Side?
Tsimikas is one of the paciest full-backs in Greek football. He can use his quickness to make a few driving runs with the ball in the opposition half. The Olympiacos star is proficient at delivering some accurate crosses into the opposition penalty area after averaging over two crosses per game in the Champions League last season (stats via whoscored). He is a hard-working defender who can pull off a few crucial interceptions for his team and has the pace to make recovering runs at the back when needed.
The Greek left-back has what it takes to become a world-class player in his position someday. Tsimikas could even serve as a perfect understudy to Andrew Robertson at Merseyside if the Reds can snap him up this summer. However, the jury is still out on whether he can cope with the physicality and high intensity of English football.
With all things considered, the pros outweigh the cons of signing him as he will not only add more pace and variety to Jurgen Klopp’s defence but also enhance the overall quality of his match-day squad next season. Tsimikas will undeniably keep Robertson on his toes in the race to earn a regular starting berth at Anfield.
At 24, the Greek defensive ace is about to embark upon the prime stage of his football career which the newly crowned Premier League champions could look to capitalise on in the coming seasons. Klopp can also use him regularly in the cup competitions which might help him deal with fixture congestion better in the upcoming campaign.
