In a recent print edition, La Gazzetta Dello Sport revealed that Liverpool are keeping a keen eye on AC Milan midfield ace Ismael Bennacer this summer. It has been mentioned that the Reds are big admirers of the Algerian sensation but could face competition from Manchester City in pursuit of him.
Bennacer’s Impressive Season At San Siro
Bennacer was a decent squad player in Milan’s squad last season when he managed to put in a run of impressive displays at the centre of their midfield. The Arles-born talent found the back of the net twice and earned one assist in 40 matches for the Italian club in the previous campaign in all competitions.
The 24-year-old was a regular feature on Milan’s bench but deserves a ton of credit for averaging 1.4 tackles, 0.8 interceptions, 0.5 clearances, 0.5 shots, 0.7 key passes and 1.2 dribbles per game in Serie A. He was even excellent with his ball distribution after completing 87.7% of his attempted passes in the Italian first division (stats via whoscored).
The Algerian midfielder is under contract at AC Milan until the summer of 2024 which could make it difficult for Liverpool to snap him up before the end of this summer transfer window.
Is Bennacer A Good Choice For Liverpool?
Bennacer can time his tackles well to secure the ball back for his side at the centre of the park. He usually offers decent protection for his teammates at the back and has got the vision to cut open the opponent’s defence with a decisive pass in the final third. Bennacer mainly operates as a defensive midfielder but can even fill in as a box-to-box midfielder or play in the number ten position if needed.
The Algerian centre-half can even make a few energetic runs with the ball from midfield. Hence, he could serve as a decent squad player at Anfield if Liverpool manage to get him on board this month.
We can expect Bennacer to inject more energy and dynamism into Jurgen Klopp‘s midfield. He has what it takes to help the Reds cope with injuries and fixture congestion better in the coming seasons. At 24, Bennacer has got his best years ahead of him and would have a good resale value in the future.
With all things considered, Bennacer will be an ideal choice for the Merseyside outfit to pursue this summer. However, only time will tell whether he can make a smooth transition to life in Premier League football if Klopp decides to lure him to Anfield before the end of this month.
