The Partnership Of Naby Keita And Adrien Rabiot Could Work Wonders For Liverpool And Klopp Should Consider This Prospect
Liverpool are in a state of limbo at the moment but it is not beyond them to turn things around. However, there are some glaring weaknesses in the squad that need to be addressed quickly and it does not look like Klopp wants to hold back anymore.
The lack of transfer activity in the summer – the failure to shore up the defensive midfield and indeed their defence, is surely haunting them already and while signing more than one centre-back will remain the manager’s priority, signing players who can provide them with some cover in the midfield should not be too far down Klopp’s to-do list.
There are a number of players the manager might target in the upcoming transfer windows and one player who Klopp should target is PSG’s Adrien Rabiot.
Speaking to the media recently, Rabiot revealed that he could be tempted to a move away from France and to send Liverpool fans into a frenzy, he mentioned that he followed the club closely as a youngster. There were reports which claimed that the player’s value was £20m.
The Reds are yet to welcome Naby Keita, who is set to move to the club in a record deal. If they land Rabiot next summer, it could help them establish one of the best midfield pairs in England and also in Europe.
The 22-year old French midfielder is one of the most exciting players in his position at the moment and has been the first choice at his club for a while now. He is a bit defensive minded but his technical ability and understanding of the game allow him to be an asset in the central midfield areas.
If he moves to Anfield, Klopp’s reluctance to use a proper CDM might see Rabiot land the role of the deep-lying midfielder with Naby Keita starting as a part of the midfield three. Philippe Coutinho, should he stay, could complete the midfield, but the likes of Jordan Henderson, Emre Can and even Adam Lallana are all options if Liverpool lose their Brazilian.
Though that is two new names at once in the midfield, Klopp need not be concerned, as both players who are relatively young in their careers, are more than well equipped to settle into life in England.
With completely contrasting playing styles, Rabiot and Keita can create havoc in the middle of the field. While the Guinea international is a workhorse, Rabiot loves to sit back and soak up the pressure, to help release his side in the attack.
Such a system, if monitored well, can not only make Liverpool a stronger outfit in the middle of the pitch, but will also reduce the amount of pressure their defence is put through in almost every game.
A genuine CDM, a hard-tackling one and a top class CB or two should be priorities for Klopp but if he can land Rabiot, one of those requirements can be ticked off.