In a recent tweet, Sportime journalist Giannis Chorianopoulos has claimed that Liverpool launched an enquiry about the availability of Olympiacos defender Ruben Semedo. It is understood that the Greek giants are demanding at least €20m for their prized asset with the Reds keeping tabs on his situation in Piraeus.
#LFC just made a question to #Olympiacos about the financial status of a possible transfer for CB Ruben Semedo. Nothing more than that till now. Olympiacos will demand at least €20m. #LiverpoolFC
— Giannis Chorianopoulos (@choria80) November 13, 2020
This latest report comes from the same journalist that broke Konstantinos Tsimikas’ move to Anfield earlier this year, so there might be some credibility to his tweet.
Semedo’s Incredible Season At The The Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium
Semedo has made a solid start to this season after producing a run of commanding displays at the heart of Pedro Martins’ defence. The 26-year-old has been involved in ten matches for the Greek outfit this term, picking up three yellow cards and receiving a total of 900 minutes of game time in the process across all competitions.
The Portuguese powerhouse’s excellent contributions in defence have helped Olympiacos remain unbeaten at the top of the Super League Greece table. Semedo has also caught the eye for his dominant performances in Europe as he is averaging 1.0 tackles, 1.7 interceptions, 3.0 clearances and 1.0 shots per game in the UEFA Champions League group stages. He has even taken care of the ball well when distributing it out from the back as evidenced by his pass completion rate of 89.1% in European football this season (stats via whoscored).
What Will The Portuguese Centre-Back Bring To Merseyside?
Standing at 1.89m, Semedo is a towering presence at the back and can use his strength to win a fair share of aerial duels for his team. He is quite aggressive with his challenges and possesses the tenacity to win the ball back on the defensive end of the field.
The two-time Portuguese international is a potent goal-threat from dead-ball situations in the opposition half. Plus, as mentioned well, he can retain possession immaculately when playing his way out of defence.
Is Semedo The Right Choice For The Reds?
Semedo has a troubled history as he was charged with multiple offences including robbery, assault, kidnapping and possession of a firearm which saw him spend five months at the Picassent jail in Spain. However, the Portuguese defender paid the €30k bail to get himself out of prison and continue with his playing career (via Football Espana).
Semedo has proved his worth as a capable defender in Greece, but there are some concerns over his antics off the field. Based on his current form, he could be a decent squad player at Anfield if Jurgen Klopp gives him a chance by engineering a move to bring him to Merseyside in January.
At the same time, one can argue whether the Reds should align themselves with an ex-convict, especially when such a move could spark a lot of debate amongst the British tabloids. All in all, Semedo won’t be the best choice for Liverpool as there are far better defensive options available in the transfer market for Klopp to consider this winter.
