According to Express, Domenico Berardi has recently revealed that he would love to play for Liverpool amid reports linking him to a move away from Sassuolo this summer. AC Milan is also said to be interested in securing the services of Berardi, but the Italian winger prefers a move to Anfield.
“Being able to choose, I would play in Liverpool. Changing remains difficult for me, but it no longer frightens me, I would do it. The next goal is to play in Europe, but at a club where I can be used a lot, if not always. That is my priority.”, Berardi said when asked about his future.
Domenico Berardi’s success at Sassouolo
Berardi has been a massive success at Sassouolo after re-joining the club from Juventus back in 2015. A product of the Sassouolo youth academy, the Italian has enjoyed four back to back productive campaigns. He has attained a remarkable scoring record with the Neroverdi having been involved in 124 goals in 229 matches across all competitions.
In the recently concluded Serie A campaign, Berardi scored eight goals and registered four assists in 35 matches. And his service in front of goal was critical to Sassouolo’s eleventh-placed finish in the league. He also ended the campaign as the club’s most productive player, having been involved in 12 goals – almost 20% of what his team managed as a whole (52).
What can Berardi bring to the table?
A right winger by trade, Berardi is someone who likes to take on defenders. He has averaged 1.3 successful dribbles per game this past season. However, he appears tentative with the ball, and his dribbles are incredibly rusty. As a result, he has only attained a dribble success rate of less than 50%.
The 24-year-old has averaged 1.7 key passes per game, which is indicative of his impressive chance creation. He is proficient when it comes to finding teammates with neat and tidy passes into the final third.
Berardi’s biggest asset, however, is his willingness to test the keeper. The Italian has averaged a whopping 3.6 shots per game, which is quite extraordinary for a winger. About 2.4 of his shots have come from outside the box, which also suggests his long-range shooting prowess.
Should Liverpool make a move for Berardi?
Signing Berardi may not be the most prudent move from Jurgen Klopp this summer. As iterated earlier, the 24-year-old is rusty with the ball and is bound to struggle in the fast-paced nature of the Premier League league. The Sassouolo winger has also struggled to make an impact in the Italian national team as well as Juventus, five years ago – suggesting that Berardi may struggle to cope with the soaring expectations of Liverpool supporters.
Hence, it would perhaps for the Reds to look away from this talented Italian winger and shift their interest towards someone who is more equipped to thrive in English football.
Stat courtesy: Whoscored
