In a recent report, Le10Sport mentioned that Liverpool have reignited their interest in Olympique Lyonnais playmaker Houssem Aouar during this summer transfer window. It is understood that the Reds have identified him as a potential replacement for Georginio Wijnaldum who left Anfield as a free agent earlier this summer (via Le10Sport).
Aouar’s Impressive Numbers At The Groupama Stadium
The Lyon-born talent had another impressive season with the French club and was responsible for putting in a few productive displays for them as a box-to-box midfielder. Aouar registered eight goals and four assists in 33 matches for his current employers in the previous campaign across all fronts.
The 23-year-old caught the eye by averaging 0.6 tackles, 0.6 interceptions, 2.3 shots, 1.3 key passes and 1.5 dribbles per 90 minutes in Ligue 1 last season. He even took care of the ball well when distributing possession from midfield after making 86% of his attempted passes in the French top-flight (stats via whoscored).
Aouar has shown a lot of encouraging signs while playing at the Groupama Stadium over the past couple of seasons. Thus, it is not a surprise that Liverpool are showing interest in acquiring the French sensation’s services before the start of the new campaign.
What Will The French Midfield Ace Bring To Anfield This Summer?
Aouar is a quick and agile midfielder who can make some promising runs with the ball towards the opponent’s penalty area. He has got a wide range of passes in his locker and can create some decent chances for his teammates in the final third. The Frenchman has done well to contribute by scoring and setting up his fair share of goals from midfield. However, there are some concerns over whether he has enough strength to cope with the physical nature and high intensity of Premier League football.
The Reds need a new central midfielder to beef up their squad ahead of the new campaign. Aouar fits the bill perfectly as he ticks all the right boxes as far as what Klopp wants from his midfielders. The Lyon star won’t hesitate to work hard for Liverpool both on and off the ball. Plus, he would offer some healthy competition for Jordan Henderson, Thiago Alcantara, Naby Keita and Curtis Jones for a regular starting place at Merseyside next season.
We can expect him to bring a lot of quality to Klopp’s midfield department and could go on to become a real favourite among the Anfield faithful in the coming seasons. At 23, Aouar has still got a lot of room for improvement in his game, so the Merseyside outfit should consider bringing him on board this summer.
