Liverpool are reportedly keeping tabs on Inter Milan playmaker Hakan Calhanoglu following Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s hamstring injury.
According to Calciomercatoweb, Premier League giants Liverpool are interested in securing the services of 28-year-old Inter Milan playmaker Hakan Calhanoglu as the summer transfer window enters its final month.
The Turkish international joined the Nerazzurri from Serie A rivals AC Milan last summer and immediately established himself as a regular in Simone Inzaghi’s side. A well-experienced player, Calhanoglu has the ability to function as a playmaker and is adept at taking set-pieces.
Jurgen Klopp has put together an excellent squad at Liverpool but will need to reinvent his midfield roster. Jordan Henderson, Thiago Alcantara and James Milner are all in their thirties and will need to be moved on sooner or later.
Naby Keita, Fabinho and Curtis Jones are also on the club’s books and offer Klopp strength in depth. The Reds are in for a midfielder as proved by their failed pursuit of Aurelien Tchouameni. However, speaking earlier in the summer Klopp confirmed that there would be no additions in midfield this summer.
More so, the hamstring injury sustained by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in pre-season could change the Liverpool manager’s mind. The Englishman has not enjoyed good luck during his time on Merseyside and has just under a year to go on his contract at the club.
With Tyler Morton also likely to join Blackburn Rovers on loan, the Reds could do with an addition in the middle of the park. In Calhanoglu, Liverpool will be landing themselves a player who is proven at the highest level and has the experience to boot.
The Liverpool midfield has largely acted as the supporting cast to their solid defence and free-flowing attack. The addition of Thiago gave them a new dimension that can be taken a notch further should Calhanoglu arrive at Anfield from Serie A.
Liverpool have a pacy frontline that often looks to get beyond the opponent’s backline. Calhanoglu’s vision and passing ability will open new avenues, strengthening Klopp’s tactics on the overlap. Moreover, it can also divide opponent teams’ efforts in marking Thiago, giving the Spaniard more room to manoeuvre.
The 28-year-old is also an excellent set-piece taker and will provide Klopp with an alternative to Trent Alexander-Arnold. The Reds finally have a proper number nine in Darwin Nunez. The Uruguayan, in addition to Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate, could benefit from Calhanoglu’s prowess with the dead ball.
Liverpool showed that they mean business following the 3-1 win over Manchester City in the FA Community Shield on Saturday. Adding Calhanoglu will be an excellent way to cap off what has been a solid summer of recruitment at Anfield.
