Amid all the takeover talks, Liverpool are focusing on reviving their campaign after a dreadful start. They have climbed up to sixth in the Premier League standings before the World Cup break, but, at the same time, identified an array of transfer targets. According to Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg, the Reds are expected to rival AC Milan and Manchester City for the RB Salzburg sensation Noah Okafor.
The club lacked intent in the summer window after failing to land Aurélien Tchouaméni. Borussia Dortmund decided to keep hold of Jude Bellingham and the Merseysiders ended up with Arthur Melo on a season-long loan from Juventus. If you enjoy a gamble yourself and are keen to test out some new strategies, play here for free. But the one Liverpool played, has cost them severely.
Why Liverpool Must Secure The Signing Of Okafor
The injury-prone Brazilian only featured for 13 minutes against Napoli. However, he sustained a thigh strain during a training session which has ruled him out for months following surgery. Naby Keita’s persistent fitness problem is indeed frustrating for the fans who have seen enough of James Milner and Jordan Henderson. The veteran English pair are well past their prime, also the academy prodigy Curtis Jones has disappointed on most occasions.
With Fabinho struggling to get a grip deep down the midfield, Thiago Alcantara and Harvey Elliott have been the only bright sparks in the centre of the pitch. Having said that, their excellence does not solve the midfield conundrum considering Thiago’s past injury records. 19-year-old Elliott must not be overworked and the Reds, therefore, should explore the market before it gets too late to contest for a ‘top four’ finish.
Okafor began his career with the local team FC Arisdorf but left for FC Basel at the age of 9. He progressed through their youth ranks over the next 8 years before making his senior debut back in May 2018. He made 54 appearances for the Swiss giants and eventually completed a transfer to Salzburg to gain European exposure.
With 34 goals and 20 assists in 100 appearances for the Austrian hotshots, Okafor has emerged as one of Switzerland’s most exciting prospects for the upcoming World Cup. Salzburg could let him leave in January after a group-stage exit from the Champions League, but his valuation might increase by that time if he continues to impress in Qatar.
The ‘Moneyball’ has worked splendidly for the Wals-Siezenheim-side and his winter move should hand them a significant financial boost despite not making enough money from this season’s Champions League competition. Nevertheless, the asking fee is well within Liverpool’s range and the 22-year-old midfield ace ticks many boxes to succeed in Jurgen Klopp’s ‘heavy metal’ game.
