Liverpool have been handed a possible transfer boost as the club of a player with whom they have been linked admitted that they may need to consider selling him in the summer due to a projected loss in revenue.
German publication Bild reported that Borussia Monchengladbach may be forced to sell midfielder Denis Zakaria, for whose signature the Reds are among the front-runners, with the Bundesliga club facing a projected hit of €35m (£32m) from lost TV revenue due to the league’s coronavirus-imposed postponement, as well as potentially missing out on Champions League qualification. According to Bild, Manchester United and Bayern Munich are also believed to be among the leading candidates to sign him from Marco Rose’s side.
Why might Liverpool be interested in Denis Zakaria?
The Switzerland international, valued at £40.5m by TransferMarkt, has been a regular in Borussia Monchengladbach’s line-up this season, starting 22 of their 25 Bundesliga matches as well as all six Europa League group games.
As a defensive midfielder, he is naturally adept at breaking up opposition attacks, averaging 2.1 successful tackles and 1.6 interceptions per league match. However, he is also comfortable in possession of the ball, completing two dribbles per game along with achieving an 86.7% success rate from a match average of 38.3 passes. [via WhoScored]
As noted by Total Football Analysis, the 23-year-old has an ideal blend of pace and aggression which helps him to thwart opponents’ quick wide players, while he already plays under a manager in Rose who demands that his team hunt opponents in trying to win back possession. This intense pressing style is one which Jurgen Klopp has implemented at Liverpool, as noted by This Is Anfield.
How does Zakaria measure up to Liverpool’s midfielders and what could be the impact of a potential move to Anfield?
Zakaria’s tackling average of 2.1 per game comes in at just under the 2.2 of Jordan Henderson, Liverpool’s best performer for his metric, and matches the 2.1 per game average of fellow defensive midfielder Fabinho. By comparison, Naby Keita averages 1.8 per match, with Georginio Wijnaldum winning just one tackle per game. Better still for the Swiss midfielder, his match average of 1.6 interceptions is better than anyone in Liverpool’s squad, so he could significantly reinforce the Reds’ midfield if he were to come to Anfield.
While the Monchengladbach man is no slouch on the ball, his passing ability isn’t as pronounced in comparison to Liverpool’s midfield options. His average of 38.3 passes per game falls well short of Henderson (62.4) and Fabinho (55.1) and is also fewer than Wijnaldum’s 44.9 – those three are Klopp’s most-used midfielders this season. His 86.9% success rate, meanwhile, is inferior to Wijnaldum’s 90.9% and Keita’s 88.9%.
Liverpool currently have an abundance of midfield options but those could be trimmed in the summer if recent transfer reports come to fruition. The Liverpool Echo claimed that Adam Lallana is set to leave at the end of the season once his Anfield contract expires while The Mirror suggested that Keita’s future on Merseyside “hangs in the balance”. Should those two move on this summer, it would notably diminish the midfield selection at Klopp’s disposal.
Therefore, Zakaria may be the ideal addition to offset the potential loss of that pair, with the Swiss midfielder performing excellent in his role as an enforcer for Borussia Monchengladbach this season. This is one scenario where Liverpool could exploit their positive relationship with the German club to gazump everyone else throwing glances of admiration towards the 23-year-old.
Do you think Liverpool should make a concerted effort to try and sign Zakaria in the summer or do you feel he wouldn’t be an upgrade on the Reds’ current midfield options? Join in the discussion by commenting below!
