Liverpool are ready to join Juventus and Inter Milan in the hunt to sign Olympique Lyon midfielder Houssem Aouar this summer.
According to Daily Star, as relayed by Calciomercato, Liverpool have joined the race to sign Houssem Aouar this summer. It appears Jurgen Klopp is desperate to bolster his midfield options, after the pending departure of Georginio Wijnaldum in the summer. As a result, they have now set their sights on the Olympique Lyon star.
Regarded as one of France’s biggest midfield talents, Aouar has enjoyed a rapid rise to prominence during his time at Lyon. Although he has been a first-team regular for quite some time, the 22-year-old broke into the bigger scene – starring in the club’s marvellous run in the UEFA Champions League.
Aouar’s exploits in midfield helped Les Gones reach the quarterfinal of the coveted competition. He impressed the onlookers with his ball-carrying qualities, as well as his positional sense and tenacity.
Klopp’s interest in Aouar, therefore, is hardly surprising as those qualities are highly valued in his tactical setup. Unfortunately, his team has struggled to cope with the chunk of possession, lacking any real inventiveness going forward, especially with the attacking players struggling with consistency.
In addition to that, Liverpool are braced to lose key midfielder Wijnaldum, whose contract at Anfield expires at the end of the season. The Dutchman has been strongly linked with a move to FC Barcelona, where he will get to reunite with Ronald Koeman.
The arrival of Aouar, in that regard, will serve as a breath of fresh air, not only for Klopp but also for fans, who have grown frustrated with the club’s lack of activity in the transfer market over the past few years.
Liverpool, though, are set to face stiff competition from Italian giants in Inter Milan and Juventus, who will be determined to bolster their midfield options amid speculations linking the likes of Adrien Rabiot and Aaron Ramsey to a move away from Turin in the summer.
It is also fair to point out that the Reds are prioritising a move for defenders at the moment, with Klopp keen on bolstering the defensive unit in light of the injury crisis this season. RB Leipzig’s Ibrahima Konate has been one of the names heavily expected to move to Anfield in the summer.
The Merseyside giants may also want to make Ozan Kabak’s loan move from Schalke permanent, although they have identified a bunch of other alternatives as well, including Aissa Mandi.