The who should we sign in January thread
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On Serie A, have you seen much of Merih Demiral? He was very impressive before his ACL gave out and I think his aggression would complement Gomez or Matip who are all quite "nice". Perhaps he might be available with De Ligt cementing his position in his absence. I think I've read some criticism of his character though (Erdogun fan if I recall correctly).
https://www.planetfootball.com/quic...-20-stats-to-liverpools-current-centre-backs/
[article]Successful tackles per 90 minutes (success rate)
Dayot Upamecano – 2.0 (74%)
Joel Matip – 1.7 (65.3%)
Joe Gomez – 1.0 (66.6%)
Virgil van Dijk – 0.6 (74.9%)
Successful aerial duels per 90 minutes (success rate)
Joel Matip – 6.0 (90.9%)
Virgil van Dijk – 5.0 (75.7%)
Joe Gomez – 3.2 (59.2%)
Dayot Upamecano – 2.1 (65.6%)
Interceptions per 90 minutes
Joe Gomez – 1.7
Dayot Upamecano – 1.6
Joel Matip – 1.5
Virgil van Dijk – 1.1
Fouls per 90 minutes
Dayot Upamecano – 1.0
Joe Gomez – 0.9
Joel Matip – 0.9
Virgil van Dijk – 0.4
Clearances per 90 minutes
Joel Matip – 4.7
Virgil van Dijk – 4.3
Dayot Upamecano – 3.2
Joe Gomez – 2.7
Passing accuracy
Virgil van Dijk – 89.1%
Dayot Upamecano – 89.1%
Joe Gomez – 88%
Joel Matip – 84.3%
Goals
Virgil van Dijk – 5
Joel Matip – 1
Joe Gomez – 0
Dayot Upamecano – 0[/article]
[article]
RB Leipzig reached the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League last year. Of all the stats to have played a part, Dayot Upamecano was crucial throughout, especially in the quarter-finals in Lisbon.
Against one of the most seasoned strikers across Europe in Diego Costa, Upamecano held his own. Intercepting passes, winning aerial duels and getting to the ball ahead of his man with grace and composure. If it wasn’t already clear to the world, it became very clear then. The Frenchman was destined for the top.
Upamecano’s rise through the halls of Red Bull academies is a story of diligent effort and a steely determination. Leaving Valenciennes as a teenager, he moved away from his family to come to Austria. He was promised enough time to see them on a regular basis. Everything had to be just right for him to make that sacrifice.
Like Ralf Rangnick, there are those who have watched him do this from a very early age. And then there are others, who still sing praises of how he marshalled the Leipzig defence at the Estadio Jose Alavalade. Then again, he is only 21.
Moving away from home for young players is never easy and for Upamecano, making the choice of moving from Valenciennes to the Austrian Bundesliga could not have been an easy one. He was only 15. Although, there aren’t many who can say no when Rangnick comes knocking on your door.
Karan Tejwani is the author of Wings of Change, a book encapsulating the rise of the Red Bull in the world of football. He explains to First Time Finish what Red Bull look for when recruiting youngsters like Upamecano.
“The main philosophy for all Red Bull clubs since 2012, which was when Ralf Rangnick joined, was the three Ks: Kapital, Konzept and Kompetenz”, says Karan.
“The Konzept part matters because you will notice several similarities between the players they sign: athletic players, strong positional awareness and a willingness to take hits for the sake of the team.”
Upamecano’s talents and character is linked with the third K, Kompetenz.
“The Kompetenz portion and Dayot Upamecano’s career are closely linked: in his initial days at Leipzig he struggled to adapt, while before that, he was in trouble with injuries while he was at Salzburg due to his immense physique. The three Ks are vital in the Red Bull structure and Upamecano is the perfect example of it working.” explains Karan.
Before establishing himself in the German Bundesliga, like many before him, Upamecano had to follow a set path for his development.
That path included gaining experience playing at FC Liefering and Red Bull Salzburg. Many of his current team-mates have followed the same path, however, with Upamecano, the progress was rapid and he was making all the right impressions.
While playing for Valenciennes and the French national team’s youth set-up, Upamecano was first noticed by scouts from RedBull.
Christopher Freund, the sporting director at Red Bull Salzburg recalled his first impressions on the player, speaking to First Time Finish.
He further explains, ” Our scouting department saw him playing for France youth national team and found out very soon, that he is a really special player. And we did really everything to make FC Red Bull Salzburg attractive for him.”
“Our analyse about him was very clear. And it was no surprise, that he acclimated in our club very quick.”
After signing for Salzburg in 2015, and rejecting serious interest from Manchester United back then, Upamecano spent an year at Liefering.
Tom Middler is the editor at The Other Bundesliga – an English site dedicated to Austrian football. He has been following Upamecano’s progress since his days at Liefering. Tom spoke to First Time Finish and explained how he stood out there.
“His rise through the ranks at Red Bull was extremely fast, but it’s also a testament to his own decision-making powers. He stood out at first, playing in Austria’s 2nd tier with Liefering. But after looking really solid he was brought up to the senior side after only a handful of games, which was a big statement from Salzburg.”, explains Tom.
Upamecano is recognized across Europe for his ability to play out from the back as much as his ability to defend. He is also brave in possession and looks to venture forward with the ball himself when the opportunity arises. This is partly down to how he was deployed in midfield, while at Salzburg.
“They deployed him at the time as a DMF. Although he has since switched back to the defence, he probably learned a lot in that DMF role, and reads the game in front of him better than he did before.”, recalls Tom.
There is a specific purpose for players to play at Liefering before moving on to the bigger Red Bull sides. It is all part of a greater learning curve.
“The main purpose of FC Liefering is to give players a chance to play against senior pros who have years and years of experience in the game and if players progress through quickly, it means they have the necessary qualities to play at the top level.” explains Karan.
Some of the very best talents in today’s football are products of the Red Bull academy and it’s philosophy. One established by the brilliant Ralf Rangnick himself. Players like Timo Werner, Konrad Laimer and Marcel Sabitzer are a few to name. They and others have emerged in recent years in the UEFA Champions League and the Bundesliga, Germand and Austrian.
Upamecano’s development has a lot to do with how his strengths were perfected and moulded for the modern game. Pressing his opponents and making strong recovery runs. Winning his aerial duels, knowing when to hold and knowing when to be aggressive.
Picking out the line-breaking passes and helping his team evade pressure with his distribution.. These are some of the qualities that we’ve come to associate with Upamecano. The makings of his current version were there for the Red Bull coaches to see, from a very young age.
“A lot of his development is down to the Red Bull coaching, but that can be said for so many players at RB Leipzig or Salzburg.”
“In truth, it says more about him that he only played at Liefering and then even Salzburg for a very small number of games before moving on. He was a rough diamond, but made that impact so quickly, and showed a willingness to learn and follow instructions, as well as a ton of potential that he could be the defender he is today. The Red Bull coaches were not going to miss that!” explains Tom.
For a player who looks up to Sergio Ramos as his idol, Upamecano does not share the Spaniard’s penchant for being over the top. On the contrary, he is quite down to earth, as this piece from The Athletic reveals.
The Frenchman has been subject to transfer rumours for the past year or so now, but he has remained unfazed by the limelight.
“For Upamecano, as mentioned, he had injury issues early at Salzburg, struggled to adapt initially at Leipzig. There were even complaints of him reaching training late once or twice. But going past that and showing the desired work ethic has seen him do so well since then.”, says Karan.
“I personally believe Ibrahima Konate (his team-mate who has had injury concerns lately) is more talented. But due to Upamecano’s supreme mentality, which is combined with his obvious natural and trained skill, has given him this edge. His performance against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League was arguably his best for the club. It was the perfect show of his composure, class in defense and he was unfazed in the biggest game in his career.”
His composure on the big occasions is what stands out amongst everything else about him. It is one of the many qualities that makes him a desirable defender for every big team across Europe.
Upamecano signed a new contract with RB Leipzig in July this year. A new deal up to 2023, with a reported release clause of €42 million, according to Kicker. A move next summer is “almost inevitable” according to Karan and he isn’t alone in thinking that.
Whether it be Liverpool, Barcelona or Manchester United or anywhere else, with Upamecano, teams will flourish. At the age of 21, he still has his entire career ahead of him. It is an exciting prospect, to say the least.
[/article]
[article]Successful tackles per 90 minutes (success rate)
Dayot Upamecano – 2.0 (74%)
Joel Matip – 1.7 (65.3%)
Joe Gomez – 1.0 (66.6%)
Virgil van Dijk – 0.6 (74.9%)
Successful aerial duels per 90 minutes (success rate)
Joel Matip – 6.0 (90.9%)
Virgil van Dijk – 5.0 (75.7%)
Joe Gomez – 3.2 (59.2%)
Dayot Upamecano – 2.1 (65.6%)
Interceptions per 90 minutes
Joe Gomez – 1.7
Dayot Upamecano – 1.6
Joel Matip – 1.5
Virgil van Dijk – 1.1
Fouls per 90 minutes
Dayot Upamecano – 1.0
Joe Gomez – 0.9
Joel Matip – 0.9
Virgil van Dijk – 0.4
Clearances per 90 minutes
Joel Matip – 4.7
Virgil van Dijk – 4.3
Dayot Upamecano – 3.2
Joe Gomez – 2.7
Passing accuracy
Virgil van Dijk – 89.1%
Dayot Upamecano – 89.1%
Joe Gomez – 88%
Joel Matip – 84.3%
Goals
Virgil van Dijk – 5
Joel Matip – 1
Joe Gomez – 0
Dayot Upamecano – 0[/article]
[article]
RB Leipzig reached the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League last year. Of all the stats to have played a part, Dayot Upamecano was crucial throughout, especially in the quarter-finals in Lisbon.
Against one of the most seasoned strikers across Europe in Diego Costa, Upamecano held his own. Intercepting passes, winning aerial duels and getting to the ball ahead of his man with grace and composure. If it wasn’t already clear to the world, it became very clear then. The Frenchman was destined for the top.
Upamecano’s rise through the halls of Red Bull academies is a story of diligent effort and a steely determination. Leaving Valenciennes as a teenager, he moved away from his family to come to Austria. He was promised enough time to see them on a regular basis. Everything had to be just right for him to make that sacrifice.
Like Ralf Rangnick, there are those who have watched him do this from a very early age. And then there are others, who still sing praises of how he marshalled the Leipzig defence at the Estadio Jose Alavalade. Then again, he is only 21.
Moving away from home for young players is never easy and for Upamecano, making the choice of moving from Valenciennes to the Austrian Bundesliga could not have been an easy one. He was only 15. Although, there aren’t many who can say no when Rangnick comes knocking on your door.
Karan Tejwani is the author of Wings of Change, a book encapsulating the rise of the Red Bull in the world of football. He explains to First Time Finish what Red Bull look for when recruiting youngsters like Upamecano.
“The main philosophy for all Red Bull clubs since 2012, which was when Ralf Rangnick joined, was the three Ks: Kapital, Konzept and Kompetenz”, says Karan.
“The Konzept part matters because you will notice several similarities between the players they sign: athletic players, strong positional awareness and a willingness to take hits for the sake of the team.”
Upamecano’s talents and character is linked with the third K, Kompetenz.
“The Kompetenz portion and Dayot Upamecano’s career are closely linked: in his initial days at Leipzig he struggled to adapt, while before that, he was in trouble with injuries while he was at Salzburg due to his immense physique. The three Ks are vital in the Red Bull structure and Upamecano is the perfect example of it working.” explains Karan.
Before establishing himself in the German Bundesliga, like many before him, Upamecano had to follow a set path for his development.
That path included gaining experience playing at FC Liefering and Red Bull Salzburg. Many of his current team-mates have followed the same path, however, with Upamecano, the progress was rapid and he was making all the right impressions.
While playing for Valenciennes and the French national team’s youth set-up, Upamecano was first noticed by scouts from RedBull.
Christopher Freund, the sporting director at Red Bull Salzburg recalled his first impressions on the player, speaking to First Time Finish.
He further explains, ” Our scouting department saw him playing for France youth national team and found out very soon, that he is a really special player. And we did really everything to make FC Red Bull Salzburg attractive for him.”
“Our analyse about him was very clear. And it was no surprise, that he acclimated in our club very quick.”
After signing for Salzburg in 2015, and rejecting serious interest from Manchester United back then, Upamecano spent an year at Liefering.
Tom Middler is the editor at The Other Bundesliga – an English site dedicated to Austrian football. He has been following Upamecano’s progress since his days at Liefering. Tom spoke to First Time Finish and explained how he stood out there.
“His rise through the ranks at Red Bull was extremely fast, but it’s also a testament to his own decision-making powers. He stood out at first, playing in Austria’s 2nd tier with Liefering. But after looking really solid he was brought up to the senior side after only a handful of games, which was a big statement from Salzburg.”, explains Tom.
Upamecano is recognized across Europe for his ability to play out from the back as much as his ability to defend. He is also brave in possession and looks to venture forward with the ball himself when the opportunity arises. This is partly down to how he was deployed in midfield, while at Salzburg.
“They deployed him at the time as a DMF. Although he has since switched back to the defence, he probably learned a lot in that DMF role, and reads the game in front of him better than he did before.”, recalls Tom.
There is a specific purpose for players to play at Liefering before moving on to the bigger Red Bull sides. It is all part of a greater learning curve.
“The main purpose of FC Liefering is to give players a chance to play against senior pros who have years and years of experience in the game and if players progress through quickly, it means they have the necessary qualities to play at the top level.” explains Karan.
Some of the very best talents in today’s football are products of the Red Bull academy and it’s philosophy. One established by the brilliant Ralf Rangnick himself. Players like Timo Werner, Konrad Laimer and Marcel Sabitzer are a few to name. They and others have emerged in recent years in the UEFA Champions League and the Bundesliga, Germand and Austrian.
Upamecano’s development has a lot to do with how his strengths were perfected and moulded for the modern game. Pressing his opponents and making strong recovery runs. Winning his aerial duels, knowing when to hold and knowing when to be aggressive.
Picking out the line-breaking passes and helping his team evade pressure with his distribution.. These are some of the qualities that we’ve come to associate with Upamecano. The makings of his current version were there for the Red Bull coaches to see, from a very young age.
“A lot of his development is down to the Red Bull coaching, but that can be said for so many players at RB Leipzig or Salzburg.”
“In truth, it says more about him that he only played at Liefering and then even Salzburg for a very small number of games before moving on. He was a rough diamond, but made that impact so quickly, and showed a willingness to learn and follow instructions, as well as a ton of potential that he could be the defender he is today. The Red Bull coaches were not going to miss that!” explains Tom.
For a player who looks up to Sergio Ramos as his idol, Upamecano does not share the Spaniard’s penchant for being over the top. On the contrary, he is quite down to earth, as this piece from The Athletic reveals.
The Frenchman has been subject to transfer rumours for the past year or so now, but he has remained unfazed by the limelight.
“For Upamecano, as mentioned, he had injury issues early at Salzburg, struggled to adapt initially at Leipzig. There were even complaints of him reaching training late once or twice. But going past that and showing the desired work ethic has seen him do so well since then.”, says Karan.
“I personally believe Ibrahima Konate (his team-mate who has had injury concerns lately) is more talented. But due to Upamecano’s supreme mentality, which is combined with his obvious natural and trained skill, has given him this edge. His performance against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League was arguably his best for the club. It was the perfect show of his composure, class in defense and he was unfazed in the biggest game in his career.”
His composure on the big occasions is what stands out amongst everything else about him. It is one of the many qualities that makes him a desirable defender for every big team across Europe.
Upamecano signed a new contract with RB Leipzig in July this year. A new deal up to 2023, with a reported release clause of €42 million, according to Kicker. A move next summer is “almost inevitable” according to Karan and he isn’t alone in thinking that.
Whether it be Liverpool, Barcelona or Manchester United or anywhere else, with Upamecano, teams will flourish. At the age of 21, he still has his entire career ahead of him. It is an exciting prospect, to say the least.
[/article]
Yeah, he's an Erdogan supporter. Wouldn't want him. Doubt Juventus would sell anyway.
His ability to bring the ball out of defence is presumably our main attraction to him. He's really calm and composed, can dribble, and can pass. I think he played midfield for Brighton at the weekend to.
[article]
https://marginalpains.substack.com/p/finding-the-virgil-van-dijk-replacement
I started with aerial duels, then looked at ground duels and finished off my list with pass completion averages. I then tried to find someone who excelled in all three areas across the top five European leagues. Wesley Fofana, Leicester City’s latest signing, showed up well. The standout player was someone else playing their trade in Ligue 1.
He’s a 24-year-old, 6ft3ins left-sided right-footed centre-back. The sample size is 2,500 minutes, which is more than enough to confidently judge a player. He’s got a 71% aerial duel success rate, he’s won 67% of his ground duels and he has a 90% pass success rate.
Say hello to Duje Caleta-Car.
The Croatia international joined Marseille in 2018 having played for Red Bull Salzburg (yes, that is another box ticked). Under André Villas-Boas, his involvement in the team has increased, and he’s started all seven games for Les Olympiens in Ligue 1 this term.
Caleta-Car rarely goes to ground, he’s comfortable when dragged into wide areas and he does well in one-on-one situations. Marseille tend to commit the full-backs forward and leave their centre-backs to cover large areas in a not too dissimilar way to how Liverpool operate.
Statistically, he ticks all of the boxes. But what really takes him to the top of the list is his ability with the ball.
His passes can, and do, bypass an entire team. The one he played against Bordeaux, in the above still, is one you’d see Van Dijk play to Sadio Mane. It’s easy to attempt such a pass, the skill is executing it and Caleta-Car judges the weight to perfection.
He’s also got a Thiago pass in his locker, too. Against Angers, above, he shaped to play a ball to the right side of the pitch, but instead dropped a pass over the defensive line and between centre-back and left-back for the right-winger to latch onto. Again, it was perfectly weighted and with one pass, Marseille had gone from sterile possession to breaking into the opposition’s penalty area.
Caleta-Car won’t be cheap, his current deal expires in 2023, but shouldn’t break the bank like Upamecano, Konate or Carlos would. He could fill in for Van Dijk now and, if he progresses as expected, the 24-year-old could eventually replace the former Southampton man at Anfield.[/article]
Shouldn't we have more faith in Matip and Gomez given King Binny's stats earlier?
Given you cannot replace Van Dijk I'm sure the coaches will be concentrating on incremental improvements. I have faith that Klopp and his team we'll have this in hand as well being mindful of the transfer window.
Given you cannot replace Van Dijk I'm sure the coaches will be concentrating on incremental improvements. I have faith that Klopp and his team we'll have this in hand as well being mindful of the transfer window.
It's not really that simple though considering Matip's injury history, and Gomez's to an extent (and his recent poor form). We shouldn't be relying on Fabs to step back (thereby weakening our midfield).
We lost Lovren and he wasn't replaced. I'm sure it was their intention to replace him but for one reason or another it didn't happen and now their hand has been forced. I can see it as odds on we'll sign another CB in January.
If we can keep Matip and Gomez fit and available and we are happy to consider Fabinho as a centre back for this season then we should be okay. Not great, but okay.
The problem obviously is that we are unlikely to keep all of those players fit and playing well for the whole season. Matip in particular doesn't seem capable of a run of games without getting injured.
January is never the ideal time to buy players but it can be done. Agger was bought in January, Skrtel was bought in January, even Van Dijk himself was bought in January, strictly speaking.
What we should really be doing is taking this as a clear sign that we have one World Class defender whom we rely on far too much, backed up by players who (although good) are either unreliable due to injury or are playing out of position. Van Dijk will also be almost 30 when he is back. It is absolutely worth the investment to try to get someone very good, even if we are paying over the odds for them.
Sadly, I rather suspect that this won't happen, and we will either try to muddle on through with what we have or perhaps buy a stop-gap older player. We will still have the same problem next Summer if we do that though.
The problem obviously is that we are unlikely to keep all of those players fit and playing well for the whole season. Matip in particular doesn't seem capable of a run of games without getting injured.
January is never the ideal time to buy players but it can be done. Agger was bought in January, Skrtel was bought in January, even Van Dijk himself was bought in January, strictly speaking.
What we should really be doing is taking this as a clear sign that we have one World Class defender whom we rely on far too much, backed up by players who (although good) are either unreliable due to injury or are playing out of position. Van Dijk will also be almost 30 when he is back. It is absolutely worth the investment to try to get someone very good, even if we are paying over the odds for them.
Sadly, I rather suspect that this won't happen, and we will either try to muddle on through with what we have or perhaps buy a stop-gap older player. We will still have the same problem next Summer if we do that though.
Alaba will command stupid wages. He's already turned down circa £270k a week from Bayern.
Schuurs? He's boss on my FIFA, not that it corresponds to real life
were we not looking at Malick Thiaw..? A centre-back for the German club Schalke
He was appalling last night. Appalling.
50-60m for a player who plays left sided CB? Very unlikely.
Torino’s Gleison Bremer is a new name to me. Scored 5 goals in 35 appearances for Torino last season
https://www.rousingthekop.com/static/uploads/4/2020/10/GettyImages-1227835537.jpg
https://www.rousingthekop.com/2020/10/24/gleison-bremer-liverpool/
[article]1) Bremer is currently in his third season with Torino having started his professional career with Atletico Mineiro in his native Brazil after spending time on loan at Sao Paulo as a youngster.
2) The towering centre-back made 26 first-team appearances for his boyhood club before completing a move to Europe with Italian club Torino back in the summer of 2018 who cost the Serie A outfit cost €5.8 million/£5.3 million.
3) The 23-year-old featured on just five occasions during his inaugural campaign in Serie A but did establish himself as a key component at the back last season. Bremer clocked up 27 league appearances during the 2019/20 campaign, scoring thrice and registering an assist, as Torino finished 16th in the standings and narrowly avoided relegation.
4) According to reports in Italy, Bremer was monitored by Everton in the previous summer window. Fulham also maintain an interest in the player.
5) He currently has three years remaining on his contract at the Olympic Grande Torino Stadium.
Bremer is under contract at Torino until 2023 and so the Italian club are under no pressure to sell.
SportItalia, via Football Italia note that Torino paid just over £5 million to secure the Brazilian’s services over two years ago so if Liverpool would likely have to play more than double that figure if they were to pursue a move.
Given Liverpool’s maintained transfer policy since Jurgen Klopp joined in 2015 has been to sign players aged 26 or younger, unless given great reason to do otherwise – as was the case with Thiago Alcantara, that’s the first criteria in the search.
The pool of leagues Liverpool usually look to recruit from usually feature from Europe’s top five domestic leagues and teams that feature either in the Champions League or Europa League
Bremer is definitely a defence-first centre-back as opposed to someone who thrives in possession and his qualities on the ball may not be quite the standard that Liverpool usually uphold meaning it would take time before he is able to hold down a regular spot in the team.
However, defensively, he is more than capable and his statistical output is very encouraging. Last season he averaged he 2.3 tackles per game (PG) as well as 2.7 interceptions and 4.1 clearances.
This would imply that he is a great reader of the game and is particularly aggressive in his approach to step-up and intercept the ball. His tackling ability is also among the best in Europe according to WhoScored.[/article]
https://www.rousingthekop.com/static/uploads/4/2020/10/GettyImages-1227835537.jpg
https://www.rousingthekop.com/2020/10/24/gleison-bremer-liverpool/
[article]1) Bremer is currently in his third season with Torino having started his professional career with Atletico Mineiro in his native Brazil after spending time on loan at Sao Paulo as a youngster.
2) The towering centre-back made 26 first-team appearances for his boyhood club before completing a move to Europe with Italian club Torino back in the summer of 2018 who cost the Serie A outfit cost €5.8 million/£5.3 million.
3) The 23-year-old featured on just five occasions during his inaugural campaign in Serie A but did establish himself as a key component at the back last season. Bremer clocked up 27 league appearances during the 2019/20 campaign, scoring thrice and registering an assist, as Torino finished 16th in the standings and narrowly avoided relegation.
4) According to reports in Italy, Bremer was monitored by Everton in the previous summer window. Fulham also maintain an interest in the player.
5) He currently has three years remaining on his contract at the Olympic Grande Torino Stadium.
Bremer is under contract at Torino until 2023 and so the Italian club are under no pressure to sell.
SportItalia, via Football Italia note that Torino paid just over £5 million to secure the Brazilian’s services over two years ago so if Liverpool would likely have to play more than double that figure if they were to pursue a move.
Given Liverpool’s maintained transfer policy since Jurgen Klopp joined in 2015 has been to sign players aged 26 or younger, unless given great reason to do otherwise – as was the case with Thiago Alcantara, that’s the first criteria in the search.
The pool of leagues Liverpool usually look to recruit from usually feature from Europe’s top five domestic leagues and teams that feature either in the Champions League or Europa League
Bremer is definitely a defence-first centre-back as opposed to someone who thrives in possession and his qualities on the ball may not be quite the standard that Liverpool usually uphold meaning it would take time before he is able to hold down a regular spot in the team.
However, defensively, he is more than capable and his statistical output is very encouraging. Last season he averaged he 2.3 tackles per game (PG) as well as 2.7 interceptions and 4.1 clearances.
This would imply that he is a great reader of the game and is particularly aggressive in his approach to step-up and intercept the ball. His tackling ability is also among the best in Europe according to WhoScored.[/article]
From this list I only rate Upamecano without ever watching him because;
Kabak- looks a bit on the chubby side
White- would cost the premium price of a Prem player
Coady- probably won't fit our system tactically
Bremer- comes from Serie A nuff said
As much as I like VD, I think we should be looking for a replacement and not a 3rd option or a stopgap. ACL injuries are unpredictable, we don't know for certain if Van Dijk will be his old self when he returns.
We should buy a young CB with high potential.
I'm liking the Upamecano link.
We should buy a young CB with high potential.
I'm liking the Upamecano link.
Agree with this. Poise ourselves to progress on from Matip or Gomez if we can upgrade or mitigate the risk of Virgil never returning to his imperious best.
It's now the area on the pitch where we are thinnest, after getting Jota and Thiago this summer.
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