Klopp could land his own Rodri in Liverpool move for £322k-p/w maestro

The January transfer window is fast approaching and Liverpool could be tempted back into the market to bolster their squad as they compete for the Premier League title.

Jurgen Klopp‘s side are currently second in the division and next month could provide them with an opportunity to give the team a boost ahead of the second half of the campaign.

Over the summer, The Daily Mail reported that the Reds have a long-standing interest in Bayern Munich superstar Joshua Kimmich and would be keen to secure a deal if he became available.

This is worth remembering as Sport BILD recently claimed that selling the Germany international is no longer unthinkable for the Bavarian side, as his contract is due to expire in 2025.

Klopp could now land his own version of Manchester City star Rodri by tempting Bayern to cash in on the defensive midfielder in one of the next two windows.

Rodri’s season in numbers

The Spain international is a rock in the middle of the park for the Cityzens with his outstanding play in and out of possession in front of the back four.

Over the last 365 days, Rodri ranks within the top 4% or higher of his positional peers in the Men’s Big Five Leagues and European Competitions for progressive passes (8.81) and passes attempted (95.76) per 90.

This shows that the former Atletico Madrid prospect is an exceptional passer who is able to dictate the tempo of a match with the volume of passes he gets off whilst also being able to progress his team up the pitch with line-breaking, forward, passes.

The 27-year-old battler has also displayed his defensive awareness in the Premier League this season with 3.2 tackles and interceptions and 7.2 ball recoveries per match across 14 appearances, which shows that the talented gem can break up opposition attacks on a regular basis.

The statistics that show Kimmich is similar to Rodri

Liverpool could now sign their answer to Rodri in a swoop to bring Kimmich to Anfield as the German maestro has similar qualities to the Spaniard.

The £322k-per-week whiz, who was once hailed as “phenomenal” by Jose Mourinho, is also a fantastic passer who can contribute out of possession as well.

Over the last 365 days, Kimmich ranks within the top 3% or higher of his positional peers in the Men’s Big Five Leagues and European Competitions for progressive passes (9.47) and passes attempted (87.32) per 90.

This shows that the Bayern star actually progresses the ball up the pitch through his passes more often than Rodri despite attempting fewer passes overall.

However, the 28-year-old ace falls slightly behind the City enforcer when it comes to the defensive side of the game. Kimmich has averaged 2.8 tackles and interceptions combined and 6.3 ball recoveries per match over 11 Bundesliga appearances this season.

These statistics show that the Liverpool target can be an imposing presence in front of the defence by winning possession back for his team on a regular basis, albeit not quite as regularly as Rodri.

Overall, the Bayern metronome is similar to Pep Guardiola’s midfield star in what he offers on and off the ball, and that is why Klopp should swoop for him in January or next summer.