In a recent report, Marca has claimed that Liverpool are locked in a three-way battle for Bayern Munich defender David Alaba. It is believed that the Reds could face fierce competition from Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain in pursuit of the Austrian international, who has always said that he favours a move to La Liga which could be a stumbling block for Jurgen Klopp to overcome in January (via Marca).
Alaba’s Solid Season At The Allianz Arena Thus Far
The Wien-born player has produced some impressive displays at the heart of Hans-Dieter Flick’s defence in the early stages of this campaign. Alaba has registered one goal and one assist in ten matches for the Bavarian giants this term across various competitions.
The 28-year-old has done well to average 0.8 tackles, 1.5 interceptions and 1.7 clearances per 90 minutes in the Bundesliga so far. His numbers have gone up in Europe where he is averaging 1.0 tackles, 1.7 interceptions and 3.3 clearances per game in the group stages of the UEFA Champions League. He has also been exceptional with his ball-distribution after completing 88.8% of his attempted passes in European football (stats via whoscored).
Alaba has spent most of his career playing in Germany, but now that his contract with Bayern is expiring at the end of this campaign, this winter transfer window could be the ideal time for him to seal a big move to another top club in Europe. However, whether he would be tempted to join the Reds in January remains to be seen.
What Are The Austrian International’s Best Attributes?
At 28, Alaba still has decent pace under his belt which he can effectively use to make some important recovering runs in defence when required. As mentioned earlier, he is an excellent passer of the ball as he is quite composed when playing his way out from the back.
The 73-time Austrian international has developed himself into a capable defender as he has got the tenacity to earn possession back for his team. He has even got a great leap in him and possesses outstanding defensive awareness to pull off a few clearances when his teammates are left exposed on the defensive end of the field.
Is Alaba The Right Choice For Klopp?
The Merseyside giants are currently without the services of Joe Gomez and Virgil Van Dijk after both of them picked up long-term injuries which could see them miss the remainder of this season. Hence, Klopp’s main focus should be on recruiting a quality centre-half when the transfer window reopens at the start of next year. Alaba fits the bill perfectly as he is an experienced campaigner at the highest level and would fit straight into the Liverpool backline.
However, one can argue whether the Austrian defensive ace has what it takes to cope with the physical nature of football in England. Either way, the Bayern star will be a good choice for the Reds if they can find a way to lure him to Anfield this winter.
