Le10Sport has recently reported that Liverpool are in pole position to recruit Olympique Lyon midfielder Houssem Aouar this summer. It is believed that the Reds could face competition in the form of Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur in the race to land the French playmaker during this summer transfer period (via Le10Sport).
Aouar’s Impressive Campaign In French Football
Aouar caught the eye with his performances at the heart of the Lyon midfield as he managed to find some consistency with his offensive contributions last season. The 23-year-old featured in 33 matches for the French side in the previous campaign, scoring eight goals and grabbing four assists in the process on all fronts.
The French sensation gave a good account of himself by averaging 0.6 tackles, 0.6 interceptions, 2.3 shots, 1.3 key passes and 1.5 dribbles per game in the previous Ligue 1 season. He even distributed possession with a lot of conviction based on his pass success rate of 86% in the French first division (stats via whoscored).
Aouar has still got two years remaining in his Lyon contract but could be tempted with a chance to move to Liverpool as he will have a more realistic shot of winning some silverware at the highest level. The Reds boss Jurgen Klopp also needs a new midfielder following Georginio Wijnaldum’s exit earlier this summer. Aouar fits the bill perfectly as he could play a similar role in Klopp’s 4-3-3 system at Anfield in the coming seasons.
Is Aouar The Right Choice For The Reds This Summer?
Aouar is a joy to watch when he is dribbling with the ball from midfield. He has got excellent close control and composure to get the best of his marker in the final third. The one-time France international has got a wide range of passes in his locker and can create some decent plays for his teammates in the opposition half.
Aouar has scored a handful of important goals for Lyon over the past two years but the jury is still out on whether he can maintain his high standards in the Premier League where he might struggle to cope with the physical nature of English football.
At 23, Aouar is only going to get better with each season, so the Merseyside outfit can expect to make the most out of his services if they can bring him to England this summer. He is good enough to rival Thiago Alcantara, Naby Keita, Curtis Jones and Jordan Henderson for a place in Klopp’s first XI.
Aouar will be a perfect replacement for Wijnaldum if Klopp can find a way to get him on board in this off-season. He will add a lot of goals and creativity to the Liverpool midfield which makes him a decent choice for Klopp to consider before the start of the new campaign.
