Liverpool signed Dominik Szoboszlai from RB Leipzig during the summer transfer window for a fee of around £60 million.
Dominik Szoboszlai has managed to hit the ground running in the Premier League, and his performances have been outstanding so far.
There is no doubt that the Hungarian international has been one of the best midfielders in the Premier League this season, and his performances have drawn comparisons to the former Liverpool captain and club legend Steven Gerrard.
Liverpool have missed a complete midfielder like Steven Gerrard ever since the former England international’s departure, and they have not been able to replace him adequately. When Naby Keita inherited the number 8 shirt following a move from RB Leipzig, he was expected to fill the void left by the former Liverpool captain.
However, the Guinea international’s time at Anfield was plagued with injuries, and he left without making his mark in English football. When Szoboszlai was handed the legendary number 8 shirt at Liverpool, naturally there were expectations from the player and the Hungarian has handled that pressure brilliantly so far.
Former Liverpool winger Jermaine Pennant recently claimed, “You know, Salah has been there every season, that’s the norm, but Szoboszlai he’s come in and he has the number 8 jersey which brings a lot of pressure and he has taken to that.”
“He’s stood up and you see glimpses of a li;ttle Stevie G in there, his goals, his strikes, his passing range. The engine on him, he doesn’t stop running, which is magnificent, he’s only just joined the club so once he settles more and more I can only see him getting better and better, so I think he’s been a fantastic addition to the squad.”
The 22-year-old has proven himself to be a complete midfielder for Liverpool so far. Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has mostly deployed him as the box-to-box midfielder so far and the player has helped out defensively and set up transitions for his team going forward.
Dominik Szoboszlai has the highest attacking sequence involvements for Liverpool in the Premier League so far. The player has done exceptionally well to recover the ball from the opposition and set up attacking moves for his side. Apart from that, his ability to drive through the midfield has helped the team move forward during transitions.
Dominik Szoboszlai is that guy ⭐️😍 pic.twitter.com/7yWASPOrwh
— Anfield Watch (@AnfieldWatch) October 18, 2023
Szoboszlai has not just impressed with his offensive contributions. The 22-year-old is an extremely hardworking player who has shown his defensive qualities as well. He has 58 recoveries in the Premier League so far and an 81% ball retention after winning the ball from the opposition. The Hungarian international averages 7.25 recoveries per 90 minutes.
Dominik Szoboszlai has been phenomenal for us so far. He has shown a new facet of his game. Might not be involved with the goals but his defensive and retention side has been amazing.
81% ball retention so far.
7.25 ball recoveries per 90. pic.twitter.com/S6HWNPBVrm
— Pranav (@pranav_m28) October 12, 2023
Steven Gerrard was regarded as one of the most complete Premier League midfielders of his time, and Szoboszlai has certainly demonstrated those qualities so far. The Hungarian is exceptional with his set pieces as well.
The Hungarian will certainly benefit if Liverpool sign a specialist defensive midfielder and reduce his defensive workload in the coming months. There is no doubt that the former Bundesliga star has a lot to offer going forward and, he could add more product to his game if he is given the license to venture forward more often.
The 22-year-old is still quite young and is likely to improve with coaching and experience. Working under a manager like Klopp will only help him improve further. The German tactician has a proven track record when it comes to nurturing young players.
Whether he manages to hit the levels of Steven Gerrard in the near future remains to be seen. But the signs are certainly positive, and it seems that Liverpool have finally hit the jackpot as far as a replacement for their charismatic former captain is concerned.
