Premier League leaders Liverpool are plotting a €31 million January move for Thorgan Hazard, who is also linked with Borussia Dortmund and Atletico Madrid.
Liverpool are considering making a €31 million move for Borussia Monchengladbach attacker Thorgan Hazard amid interest from Borussia Dortmund, Atletico Madrid and Roma – as reported by The Sun.
It is believed that Jurgen Klopp is prepared to sign the Belgian international in the upcoming January transfer window, then loan him back to Gladbach until the end of the season. But, the Reds could face stiff competition with Roma, in particular, aiming for the same motive.
As for Hazard, he looks more than ready to make the next step in his career, following an excellent Hinrunde campaign that saw him score nine goals while mustering six assists in just 17 matches. His incredible attacking output has helped Gladbach pose a strong threat for the league title, with the Foals trailing second-placed Bayern Munich by just three points.
As a matter of fact, only three players have been involved in more goals than Hazard in the Bundesliga this season as he continues to flourish under Dieter Hecking.
The former Wolfsburg manager has mostly utilized Hazard in a wide role, where the Belgian’s excellent close control enables him to skip past defenders at ease while his sheer pace has added more dynamism to the Gladbach attack.
Liverpool, in that regard, could emerge as the ideal suitor for the 25-year-old as they have struggled with their lack of offensive resources this season.
Although the revered front three of Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino has continued to light up the Premier League, the latter has struggled with inconsistency as well as fatigue. Thus, the addition of a new attacker could be imperative for the Merseyside giants, despite Xherdan Shaqiri’s recent successes.
Hazard’s technical prowess and quick-witted play are tailor-made for Liverpool’s free-flowing attacking philosophy. The 25-year-old has showcased his ability to link-up with his teammates in the final third time and time again at the Borussia Park and very few would bet against him replicating that performance with a more accomplished set of teammates in Salah, Firmino and Mane.
Furthermore, the fact that Hazard can operate on both wings is a bonus for Klopp, who is without the services of a reliable back-up for either of his regular first-team wingers. But, what makes Hazard an appealing target for the Reds is his potency in front of goal, which is rather evident when looking at his goals tally this season.
He has also become quite an experienced attacker, having made over 130 appearances in the German top flight and as iterated earlier, he is now ready to make the next step in his career.
However, it is unlikely that Gladbach will be willing to let go of their prized asset and find a suitable replacement in the January transfer window, which has been quite difficult for the German teams over the years. Therefore, It would be wiser for Liverpool to flush more money into the deal in an attempt to sign Hazard without the prospect of loaning him out for the rest of the campaign.