Gundogan is a midfielder in the Klopp mould
Ilkay Gundogan (Borussia Dortmund)
Almost instantly after Klopp was confirmed as Liverpool boss, the entire Borussia Dortmund team was supposedly set to follow him to the club in January. Yet a couple of these links are more concrete and realistic than others, including the rumours surrounding Ilkay Gundogan.
Midfield seems to be an area that Klopp would like to improve in January, as he enjoys possessing mobile, intense and quick-thinking footballers in the centre of the pitch. Gundogan ticks all of these boxes, as he was recruited by Klopp from FC Nurnberg to play that exact role at Dortmund.
Now 25, Gundogan is still young, and has plenty of his best years ahead of him, especially as he hasn’t played much football in recent years, having struggled with a back problem which crippled his 2013/14 season.
Whilst the injury is concerning, he seems to have returned to full fitness lately, and made 33 appearances last season as well. Nevertheless, despite being a high quality operator, who scored in the 2013 Champions League final and has been linked with Barcelona and Manchester United, Gundogan may be available for only £30m, while the lure of Klopp should be enough to convince him of a healthy long-term future on Merseyside.
Gundogan would undoubtedly be a fantastic signing, upgrading the quality of a midfield that has suffered from the exits of Steven Gerrard, Xabi Alonso and Javier Mascherano in the last six years.
