Liverpool Leading Barcelona In Race To Sign Bundesliga Star: How Does He Fit In At Anfield?

According to El Nacional, Liverpool are leading Barcelona in the pursuit of Dani Olmo. It appears Jurgen Klopp is keen on securing a deal for the RB Leipzig playmaker in the upcoming January transfer window. Barcelona are the other team interested in his services, but their lack of financial firepower has made Reds the favourite to sign Olmo, who is expected to cost in excess of €50 million.

Dani Olmo’s Season So Far Under Jesse Marsch

After a prolific 2020/21 campaign that saw him being involved in 15 Bundesliga goals, Dani Olmo has had a relatively slow start to the new season. He missed an early chunk of the season due to fatigue and it wasn’t until early September when he made his first appearance in the Bundesliga.

Unfortunately, Olmo soon picked up a muscle fibre injury, which further halted his progress. He did return to the pitch in late October but only appeared as late substitutes against Eintracht Frankfurt and Borussia Dortmund.

Nevertheless, the Spaniard is highly regarded as one of the best playmakers in the Bundesliga having enjoyed success since his move to Leipzig in January 2020. In just under two years, the former La Masia graduate has featured in 67 competitive matches for Leipzig, scoring 12 goals while securing 14 assists.

While his numbers may not be exceedingly impressive, Olmo has made a name for himself with his chance creation and tactical versatility as he can operate almost anywhere in the final third. It is combined with his technical prowess, making him one of the most in-demand players in Germany.

How Does He Fit Into Liverpool?

Liverpool’s interest in Dani Olmo is a promising prospect for the club, as they desperately require reinforcements in the attacking department. While the Reds have one of the best attacks in Europe, they are often overreliant on the services of Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane, both of who are set to be unavailable during the start of the year due to AFCON.

The potential addition of Olmo, in that regard, could put an end to Jurgen Klopp’s woes regarding squad depth. The Spaniard can replace Mane or Salah out wide, though he does like to play on the left-hand side.

The Leipzig star might not offer the same dynamism and pace as Mane. But he is gifted with an outstanding technical ability which allows him to link up with teammates in the final third and craft goalscoring opportunities. Having played under coaches like Julian Nagelsmann and Jesse Marsch, Olmo should also find it relatively easy to settle in under Klopp’s Gegenpressing system, thus making him a massive coup for Liverpool this January.