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Liverpool are reported to be eyeing potential reinforcements ahead of the January transfer window, as Jurgen Klopp weighs up his squad options in preparation for the second half of the 2023/24 campaign.
The Reds have started the season well, sitting third in the Premier League table just three points from the summit after 11 games played, a gradual improvement on last term’s disappointing fifth place finish.
Part of the reason for the Merseyside outfit’s success so far is the ease of the transition in their midfield, with a complete rebuild required in the summer following the departures of Fabinho, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jordan Henderson and Naby Keita.
Klopp selected Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister, Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch to replace the former Anfield stars, in moves that have prevailed to be an early success for the Reds in their bid to challenge at the top once more.
Despite the strength of the summer window, Liverpool are reportedly eyeing further additions in the January window, with defensive targets the next wave of refurbishments to pay attention to.
Liverpool January transfer targets
One player linked as a potential target to be eyed at Anfield in January is Sporting CP colossus Goncalo Ignacio, who is reported to be admired by the Reds by news outlets in Portugal.
As relayed by Sport Witness, Liverpool would have to pay a fee of €60m (£52.6m) to capture the defender’s signature, after the Premier League outfit sent scouts to watch the 22-year-old in action.
The impressive progression of the Portuguese centre-back makes Liverpool’s reported interest understandable, however he isn’t the only young defender being watched by Klopp’s side.
According to 90min, a host of Premier League clubs are admirers of 17-year-old Leny Yoro, who has prevailed as one of LOSC Lille’s favoured central defenders this season despite his young age.
The report names Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool as those ‘aware’ of the teenager’s progression, with his current market value sitting at €20m (£17m), a figure that could significantly rise if his form continues in Ligue 1.
Leny Yoro’s playing style
Yoro broke onto the first-team scene at Lille last season, securing 13 Ligue 1 appearances at centre-back to mark the beginning of his career at senior level after progressing through the ranks of the club’s academy.
Standing at 6 foot 3, the teenager brings an obvious aerial presence to the back line, however as highlighted by Jacek Kulig in his Football Talent Scout network, the defender’s strengths blossom way beyond using his height to his advantage.
Described as having a level of ‘composure and calmness that exudes through the entire back line’, the 17-year-old is showing glimpses of maturity that belies his age, making him one of the hottest prospects in Europe at present.
As identifiable in most modern-day centre-backs playing at the top level, Yoro boasts an ‘exceptional technical ability’ in receiving and distributing the ball, making him an assured figure to have at the back in transitioning play and guarding the goal.
Kulig dwelled on the Frenchman’s understanding of when to play the ball out from the back, and his ability to ‘beat the press’ through passing or driving forward, areas of his game reinforced by his statistics over the past year.
As per FBref, the Lille starlet ranks in the top 8% of centre-backs in Europe’s top five leagues for his rate of 58.91 carries per 90, showcasing just how high the youngster’s ceiling is with reference to his room for progression and stance in the senior game.
As well as being statistically among the best in Europe, the teen has been compared to one of the greats currently in the Premier League, reinforcing how strong of a signing he could be for Liverpool.
Why Leny Yoro would be a good signing for Liverpool
When it comes to praise, U23 scout Antonio Mango has had a lot to say for Yoro’s rise to prominence in France, lauding him as “immense” and dubbing him a “Rolls Royce” calibre defender.
Most interestingly, Mango noted that he sees traits of Virgil van Dijk in the centre-back’s game the more he develops, making him the ideal eventual heir to the Dutch hero at Anfield when the time comes to change the scenery at the back.
Klopp’s current options in central defence come in the form of Van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Joe Gomez, Joel Matip and emerging prospect Jarell Quansah, highlighting that adding firepower to the back line would not hurt Liverpool’s depth in January.
Out of the five options at centre-back, two of the players are over 30 years old, with the infamous Dutchman and Matip both 32 and on the other side of their primes, hinting that signing a refreshed prospect could signify Klopp’s thoughts for the future.
Leny Yoro vs Virgil Van Dijk & Ibrahima Konate 2023/24 league averages |
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---|---|---|---|
Statistic |
Leny Yoro |
Virgil Van Dijk |
Ibrahima Konate |
Pass completion % |
90.4% |
91.9% |
92.4% |
Tackles |
1.65 |
1.20 |
1.34 |
Interceptions |
1.43 |
1.69 |
0.58 |
Clearances |
3.95 |
6.02 |
4.03 |
Dribblers tackled % |
69.2% |
100% |
40.0% |
Touches |
74.52 |
91.69 |
91.92 |
Per 90 figures via FBref |
As highlighted in the table above, Yoro has a long way to go until he reaches the status of Van Dijk, who has enjoyed an illustrious career at Anfield, however the statistics show that the fundamentals are there for him to challenge in Klopp’s side.
At just 17, Liverpool could capture one of the hottest prospects in Europe in the teenager, who could follow in the footsteps of the likes of Konate and enter the fold of the French national team in the near future behind an astonishing list of star talent.
With Chelsea said to be the favourites to capture the starlet at present by 90min, it will be interesting to see just where the teen’s career blossoms, with little to argue about how efficiently he would fit in at Liverpool.
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