With the European Championship and Copa America reaching their respective conclusions, it would be fair to expect some accelerated movement in the summer transfer window.
Whether this will see Arne Slot’s Liverpool throwing some punches in the market remains to be seen.
Jurgen Klopp’s successor is keen to evaluate his new squad, which remains notably bereft of a few key stars. Not least of all the likes of international finalists Trent Alexander-Arnold, Alexis Mac Allister and Luis Diaz, to name a few.
It has now been reported that the Merseysiders, along with fellow Premier League outfits Manchester City and Arsenal, are keen on Bayern Munich’s potential wantaway midfielder Joshua Kimmich.
“A lot could change under Kompany, not just in terms of personnel, but also in terms of tactics. It is said that he, Eberl and sporting director Christoph Freund want to make Bayern more variable. The team should not only master the 4-2-3-1 system with the classic wingers, but also a formation with two “tens”. The key player in attack is Jamal Musiala. In a 4-1-4-1 system, Palinha would be the only “six”. In a system with two central midfielders, Kimmich would compete with Goretzka, Aleksandar Pavlovic and Konrad Laimer,” Julien Wolff wrote for Die Welt.
“It is said that Bayern sees Kimmich as a right-back in the future – the national player would probably prefer to play in midfield. Kimmich is currently on vacation with his family, and Kompany’s signing was only made clear when Kimmich had already started preparing for the European Championship with the national team. Only after his vacation will there be a detailed discussion between the new coach and the professional. During the European Championship, a ZDF documentary was released in which Kimmich reported how his trust in the club had suffered during the Corona pandemic. This probably referred primarily to the club bosses at the time, including Oliver Kahn. Kimmich’s contract runs until summer 2025.
“FC Barcelona, Manchester City, FC Liverpool and FC Arsenal are apparently interested in the 29-year-old. Kimmich’s market value is estimated at around 50 million euros. Bayern could still make money with him this summer. The personnel issue is tricky – Kimmich would be a leading player moving. At the European Championships, Kimmich played for Germany as a right-back, and the team was eliminated in the quarter-finals by Spain.”
Julian Nagelsmann’s Germany suffered a quarter-final exit to eventual Euros winners Spain courtesy of an extra-time winner from Mikel Merino.
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Meanwhile, Liverpool have successfully swooped in for highly-rated Chelsea academy prospect Rio Ngumoha.
READ MORE: Leny Yoro makes contract decision as Fabrizio Romano drops fresh transfer update
Liverpool have less of a need for right-back cover
There are a few questions Slot and Co. must answer before we delve into the market for a holding midfielder. Perhaps chief among them is what are we expecting from said defensive midfielder in terms of function?
Are we looking for a pure ball-winner? Someone who roams out of position, hunting for possession? Someone fixed ahead of the backline allowing the second member of a double pivot the licence to join attacks and build up?
Beyond that, is Kimmich’s ability to file out at right-back a welcome plus for our coaching staff?
It’s worth pointing out on that front that it remains to be seen whether Trent Alexander-Arnold will be pushed into midfield in 2024/25. Likewise, we’re well-stocked for cover with Conor Bradley and Joe Gomez.
What does Joshua Kimmich do?
It has been suggested that Liverpool have the financial capabilities to satisfy the German international’s wage demands.
Whether we wish to make a push for the 29-year-old Bayern Munich star (worth around €50m [£42m]), however, remains to be seen.
What will instantly appeal to fans of Fabinho’s peak qualities at Anfield is Kimmich’s remarkable passing range. The Bundesliga is more than capable of crafting chances with killer balls deep inside his own half and finding space to exploit from within enemy territory.
As for his defensive credentials, The Coaches’ Voice had this to say: “He demonstrates that same intelligence when required to defend, and more specifically when judging when to directly challenge an opponent, when to jockey and delay them, and when to withdraw and retreat. If he is not the biggest he duels with aggression – particularly on the ground – and is tenacious enough that if he is beaten he works to recover a position that means he can again challenge and prevent further progress.”
Amid concerns over obstructing Stefan Bajcetic’s (19) pathway, signing an ageing quantity in the Bayern Munich midfielder could prove an appealing solution.
Liverpool have further interest in Bundesliga signings
One report from BILD, published today, has namechecked Liverpool with regard to Jeremie Frimpong and Donyell Malen.
The former enjoyed a truly remarkable club campaign with Xabi Alonso’s triumphant Bayer Leverkusen, registering 26 goal contributions in 47 games.
Given the “fullback” effectively operates as a winger for the Bundesliga champions, this could offer a potentially intriguing solution to the long-term Mo Salah successor question. Albeit, it’s worth emphasising Frimpong’s right-footedness.
Malen is likewise an interesting proposition, though we rather suspect the Dutchman won’t get anywhere near Merseyside in the current window.
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