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The Reds have reportedly seen a £12 million bid for Dinamo Zagreb midfielder Marko Pjaca rejected by the Croatian club.
- Liverpool target Neven Subotic confirms Borussia Dortmund exit, leaving the door open to a move to Anfield.
Jurgen Klopp is looking to strengthen his Liverpool side after a dismal performance in the 2015/16 campaign. An 8th place finish certainly was not what the German had in mind when he took over the reins from Brendan Rodgers, and is now making efforts to add quality to the Liverpool team.
According to the Daily Star, Klopp has shown an interest in Dinamo Zagreb’s 21-year-old midfielder Marko Pjaca. An initial offer in the £12 million bracket has been turned down by the Croatian club. On the other hand, transfer target Neven Subotic confirmed his Borussia Dortmund exit, sparking rumours about a possibility of a reunion with former boss Jurgen Klopp at Anfield.
Zagreb are holding out for a £16 million asking rate for Pjaca
Liverpool’s initial attempt to sign the highly-rated Croatian was dealt a blow as Dinamo Zagreb rejected an offer reported to be worth £12.2 million. According to Gazzetta dello Sport, the club is looking for a bid in the range of £16 million if they are to let go of their player.
Pjaca recently featured for the Croatian national team, who were knocked out by Portugal from the European Championships in France. The 21-year-old made three appearances in the competition, but started only one game due to the immense quality present among the Vatreni ranks. At the domestic level, the midfielder featured in 28 league matches for Zagreb, finding the back of the net on eight occasions.
Still only 21, Pjaca showed a tremendous maturity in Croatia’s Euro 2016 run-in. His performances against Spain showed why he is touted as one of the breakout stars of the competition.
Predominantly a central midfielder, he can also play as a winger or a supporting striker. Due to his versatility and age, the Zagreb midfielder has caught the eye of several European sides. According to TuttoMercatoWeb, Pjaca is being scouted by the Serie A trio of Juventus, AC Milan and Inter Milan, while Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund have also been keeping tabs on the promising midfielder.
Liverpool target Neven Subotic confirms Dortmund exit
Borussia Dormund’s hard-man Neven Subotic announced via his Facebook page, that he would be ending his eight year association with the German outfit. This announcement came at a time when Liverpool are looking to invest defensively as Martin Skrtel and Kolo Toure are on their way out and both Dejan Lovren and Mamadou Sakho failed to impress in the 2015/16 campaign.
The Serbian worked under current Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp at the Westfalenstadion and enjoyed a good run under the German’s guidance. According to This is Anfield, the Reds are on high alert after Subotic’s announcement, and are of the opinion that Klopp will convince the defender to come to Merseyside this summer.
Subotic would clearly be an upgrade to the current crop of Liverpool centre-halves. He missed a huge chunk of the 2015/16 season through injury but in the season prior to that, the Croatian was a mainstay at the heart of the Dortmund defence, tallying a total 28 Bundesliga appearances.
When compared to the current Liverpool defenders, the 27-year-old ranks a considerable grade higher. At 2.25 interceptions per game, the former Borussia Dortmund defender stands first in the graphic given above. The English game is full of hard challenges and Subotic is undoubtedly up to the ask. He comes a close second when tackles are considered, making him a suitable fit for the Premier League.
Also, a majority of the goals Liverpool conceded this season came due to the frailty of their defenders. Subotic, unlike the Reds’present defenders is a safer option on the ball, averaging just 0.04 defensive errors per game. He ticks all the boxes for what Liverpool currently needs, making him a good signing for Jurgen Klopp.