According to La Parisien, via Inside Futbol, Liverpool have received a slight boost in their pursuit of Silas Wamangituka as Toulouse have been priced out of a move for the Paris FC star. It is believed that the Ligue 1 outfit have deemed the striker’s €6 million valuation as too expensive. However, the Reds could still face stiff competition, with Galatasaray, Benfica, Club Brugge, Nantes, Lille and OGC Nice still in the mix.
What can Wamangituka bring to the table?
Wamangituka is considered as one of the brightest up and coming French talents, having enjoyed a productive campaign. Indeed, he scored 11 goals in 32 matches in Ligue 2, helping Paris FC finish fourth in the league table while ending the season as the club’s top goalscorer.
A centre forward by trade, Wamangituka is a dynamic attacker, who can manipulate opposition defences with his intelligent runs in behind the backline. He has a tall frame of 1.89m, which not only gives him a considerable advantage when it comes to aerial duels but also helps him keep hold of the ball even under strong pressure.
The 19-year-old is a technically astute striker as well. He has excellent close control and often tends to take on defenders in the final third. But, it is his lethal finishing quality that makes him such a sought-after youngster in France.
However, the youngster certainly needs to improve on his decision making in the final third. He often tends to squander opportunities by making a hurried or misplaced pass, and that is something he needs to rectify if he is to thrive at a higher level of football.
Should Liverpool make a move for Wamangituka?
Liverpool arguably have the most dangerous attacking unit in Europe, thanks to the revered front trio of Roberto Firmino, Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane. However, they lack any reliable backups for these three attackers, with Daniel Sturridge now a free agent while Xherdan Shaqiri has been dealt with a fresh injury.
That leaves Divock Origi as the only reliable option, thus accentuating the need for a new attacker. And that’s where Wamangituka could come into the fray. Although the Frenchman is highly inexperienced in top-flight football, he has immense potential and can be groomed into a world-class individual, if nurtured well.
However, it would perhaps be wiser for the Reds to let Wamangituka stay another season at Paris FC, which will not only enhance his experience but also give him time to improve. That means the Merseyside giants should shift their attention to the academy players or identify a new alternative as they look to bolster their attacking department this summer.
