Jurgen Klopp’s summer has been a busy one so far with the German on a mission of rebuilding Liverpool. The German has completed 6 new signings but is still keen on bolstering his defense as quickly as possible. Liverpool’s first choice left back Alberto Moreno was heavily criticized for his defensive contributions last season. Even in the three matches of the ongoing International Champions Cup, Moreno was not up to the mark and it affected the team’s performance. Liverpool had been linked with a lot of left backs throughout the summer as Klopp looked to strengthen the left side of Liverpool’s defense. Jonas Hector, Ben Chilwell, Mattia De Sciglio all were in Klopp’s radar but most of the rumors faded. Liverpool have been again linked with AC Milan’s Italian left-back Mattia De Sciglio, reports suggesting that Klopp is interested in adding him to the squad. De Sciglio is the first choice left back at AC Milan and for the Italian national side and he could stabilize Liverpool’s weak back line.
De Sciglio is a versatile full back and can play at both the full back positions and also as an attacking winger. De Sciglio made his senior team debut for AC Milan on 2011 and since then, he has made 104 appearances for the Italian club and is regarded as one of the most promising young full backs in Serie A. Last season though, De Sciglio missed many matches owing to injuries and managed only 29 appearances after being sidelined for 2 months due to a heel injury. Even though he managed only 29 appearances, De Sciglio clearly showed why he is one of the most talented full backs.
De Sciglio’s defensive controbutions are more noteworthy than his attacking play and he reads the game well. Last season, he averaged almost 2 interceptions per game and managed just more than 2 successful tackles per match. De Sciglio, unlike Moreno, does not leave gaps at the back and is normally back at his position while defending. De Sciglio is a tall defender and his height gives him an edge over other players while dealing with set pieces and wins majority of the aerial duels. Dealing with set pieces has been Liverpool’s biggest problem and having tall defenders can solve that issue. Now coming to his attacking threat, De Sciglio has the pace and he can make darting runs down the flanks. His ability to deliver dangerous crosses into the area makes him a threatening attacking winger.
De Sciglio is far from a finished article but under Klopp, he can become one of the best full-backs across Europe. De Sciglio is 23, a year younger than Moreno but provides a lot more than the Spaniard can at the left back position. Klopp needs a solid defensive left back who can repair Liverpool’s leaky back line and De Sciglio is a good option. The Italian has been capped 26 times for the national side already and at such a young age he has shown what he is capable of in the future. He will cost Liverpool something around 16 million pounds and if the deal goes through, it would be a good deal for the Reds.
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