It has been a thrilling or a frustrating summer transfer window, from where you look at it, for Liverpool fans, who have been treated to the signature of a pacey winger and a left-back so far in the window. They have made a couple of decent additions already, but are unable to get deals across the line for their top transfer targets this summer.
RB Leipzig midfielder Naby Keita is at the top of the wish list for Liverpool, but having had a bid of around €75m rejected by the German outfit, they are now starting to lose hope. Dutch centre back Virgil van Dijk is another player Jurgen Klopp is desperate for, but having made a meal of things earlier in the window, their hands are now tied.
Liverpool are ready to spend over £70m on both players, which will take their transfer expenditure close to £200m. It is not a regular occurrence for the club or its owners, as it will also mean that they will have broken the transfer record thrice in one season.
Though the Reds still have a chance to lure both players to Anfield before the deadline day, the fans of the club are now beginning to see that it is not easy for them to bring both players in this summer, which might need them to prioritize. So, Keita or VVD? Who should Liverpool’s priority signing be this summer?
A stubborn and gritty midfielder with a work horse mentality, Keita is the midfield powerhouse that Liverpool lacked last season. Though not the best defensively, the Guinea star will surely help Liverpool improve their mettle in the midfield, hence helping shield their defensive line better. Keita can surely be the man that allows Liverpool to make the transition from defence to attack quickly and this will work well with Klopp’s pressing system at the club.
Solving two problems prevalent in the squad, Keita looks like the man Liverpool need at the moment but if there is anyone they need more, it is a centre back.
The Reds have had a poor record defensively in the last couple of seasons and the centre back partnership of Dejan Lovren and Joel Matip is just not filling fans with excitement for the Champions League next season. They need a genuine star, who can solve all the problems at the back and Van Dijk is one of the best options in the transfer market.
Also wanted by Manchester City and Chelsea, the Southampton man is easily one of the best defenders in England at the moment and his strength and ability to dominate his box in the air is something Liverpool have lacked completely last season.
Van Dijk is a threat in set-pieces at both ends and can reduce the errors that the current Liverpool squad are prone to at the back. They will have to spend a record fee for him, but Van Dijk will solve the biggest problem in the squad, and at just 26, will solve it for years to come. And for once, Liverpool have been able to fend off interests from financial giants in around them in the competition.
Liverpool may be able to lure both players to the club yet this summer, but at the moment, if they can only pick one, there are very few fans who will argue, that Virgil van Dijk is the man Liverpool need the most this summer.
