5 Reasons Why ‘Klaas’ Dutch Striker Is Our Missing Link!

FOR past two and a half seasons Liverpool have been plagued by what I call “No goals syndrome”. This has been the major problem for the Reds ever since the departure of Fernando Torres, which has cost them several points during this period.

Liverpool loaned Andy Carroll to West ham on the transfer deadline day and with no replacement coming in, the Reds are left with only Luis Suarez and Fabio Borini as the senior strikers, at least until January transfer window opens.

Suarez’s finishing, just as much he plays great football, still leaves a lot to be desired, and Borini looks set to miss a good chunk of this season through injury. There is no denying that Liverpool are in need of a goalscorer, someone who can get an average of 20 goals a season. The Reds have been linked with a number of stars since the summer transfer window closed, including the likes of Daniel Sturridge, Theo Walcott, Demba Ba, Darren Bent and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar.

Some exciting names in the list with enough experience of Premier League as well, however the name that’s most frequently associated with the Reds is of Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, untested in Premiership however vastly experienced in Europe, having played in Spanish, Italian and now German leagues.

He has postponed contract talks with Schalke club until December, which could mean a possible January move to Anfield for Huntelaar. Right now it looks like Huntelaar is on the lookout for a new club and a fresh challenge. If I had to chose from the players listed above, Huntelaar is the definite choice despite his age as the central striker and it would be a wise move for Brendan Rodgers to pursue the Dutchman in January, who has already scored 67 goals in 91 appearances for Schalke.

Let’s take a look at what Huntelaar will bring to the Merseyside and how his arrival could possibly affect the club, if the move materializes in January.

Goalscorer

Klaas-Jan Huntelaar is no stranger to scoring goals. He has been scoring goals for fun ever since joining Schalke from AC Milan in 2010. Last season he scored an amazing 48 goals from 47 appearances in all competitions, including 14 in just 12 European games and a further 29 in 32 domestic encounters.

It was no fluke last season for the Dutchman; Huntelaar has been a prolific goal scorer and has so far scored 254 in 386 appearances at the club level. He has an admirable scoring record at international level too, scoring 34 goals in 59 caps so far.

Huntelaar has a great combination of positional, aerial and technical excellence; coupled with a great finishing touch, he would be a great addition to the Liverpool attack which lacks the final sting in their attack.

Leader In The Attack

He is an out and out striker in the mould of Carroll and Llorente, however has a quicker feet and better positional sense. He has the strength, which he uses against the opposing defenders to press high up in the final third and with Brendan Rodgers favouring a 4-3-3 formation; Huntelaar would fit in with great ease.

The Dutchman is a leader and a true focal point of the attack, the role that Andy Carroll operated at while playing for the Reds.

Huntelaar, no doubt, would fulfil this role with better proficiency than Carroll did for the Reds last terms. And of all the players Liverpool have for that position and the names that have been linked with the club, Huntelaar would surely be a more suitable choice than any of them.
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Experience

Huntelaar is 29 and at the peak of his form and with the vast experience he possesses, he could and very well be an asset for any top club in Europe.

While maturing as a footballer, Huntelaar has had the pleasure of playing for some of Europe’s most historically successful clubs of all time and playing alongside some of true legends of the game of his time. And one thing is for sure, you don’t play alongside such gifted footballers without learning a thing or two.

Huntelaar’s vast experience all across Europe will benefit youngsters like Suso and Sterling, who have just started what could be illustrious careers for the youngsters.

Luis Suarez

Of course, the pair linked-up to devastating effect at Ajax, scoring 82 goals in 60 games between them. Employing Huntelaar in the central striking position would mean removing Suarez from that position, pushing him wide out or just behind the striker in a supporting role, which however by no means would be a negative move.

Suarez is talented and he has the skills to create a goal scoring chance out of nothing. He however hasn’t been among the goals ever since moving to Anfield. His strengths lie in running at defenders with the ball at his feet and he would be more suited to a supporting role instead of that of the main striker.

Thus, Huntelaar’s signing would mean that Rodgers could move Suarez to a wider role of a Liverpool front-three perhaps, enabling the Uruguayan to realize his true potential in an area of the pitch more suited to his sizeable talents.

Price Tag

Any transfer is not complete without the consideration of price tag put on the player. Liverpool have been guilty of overpaying for players in the past seasons, who more or less failed to make any impact at Anfield. This time, the owners have made it clear that the same mistakes will not happen.

Huntelaar’s contract with Schalke expires at the end of the season and the German club faces the pressure of tying the Dutchman to a new deal, or cash in on him while they can in the January transfer window.

If the latter option were to culminate, then not only Rodgers could secure Huntelaar’s signature on a cut price but save enough of the transfer funds which he could spend to strengthen the other areas of the team.

In conclusion, in my opinion the potential arrival of Huntelaar could not only solve the goal scoring crisis for the Reds but provide a number of benefits for Liverpool FC. As I said before his hesitance to sign a new contract with Schalke could make things a bit complicated for the Reds as a number of other clubs are allegedly on alert. However a club with a history, tradition and stature of Liverpool would certainly be capable of attracting Huntelaar, while Rodgers himself is confident that the club will shell out the money for a potential transfer.

If the Reds wish to return to prominence and if Rodgers wants the club to move in a right direction then perhaps Klaas-Jan Huntelaar is the first step towards it.

Thanks a lot for reading. Do let me know what do you think of him. You can follow me on Twitter as well @LEONGUI7E
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