Liverpool have been linked with a move for £33 million transfer target Milot Rashica, but who is the player and why is he wanted?
The Kosovo international isn’t a name most of us will have been aware of being these transfer rumours started floating about, but could he do a job for Liverpool?
His agent has stated that Milot Rashica will be leaving Werder Bremen in the summer because he wants to play Champions League football, and his Bundesliga stats certainly seem to indicate that he could cut it at a higher level.
With 17 goals and nine assists in 55 top flight games in Germany, the 23-year-old has got an excellent record and has scored goals against Borussia Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich this season.
Rashica looks equally adept at playing across the front three, which is a key characteristic of any Jurgen Klopp forward signing, and has six goals in 11 games while playing on the left and four in 13 while playing in his various central roles.
While the Kosovan has made 98 appearances on the right and netted 17 times with 22 assists. So far, he ticks most of the boxes.
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While playing through the middle, Milot Rashica appears to be a hard working – but talented – grafter who can lead the first line of defense. According to Smarter Scout, he disrupts and recovers to a high standard as well as being an excellent passer towards goal, shooter and dribbler.
Last season the former Vitesse man also put up excellent numbers for those metrics, which Jurgen Klopp values from anyone playing in that central role.
His ball retention is also high, which is important, although his attacking output is poor and he appears to be a bad tackler.
That would hold him back, although having the energy and the application to press hard and fast is more important than actually nicking the ball.
Rashica is a right-footer and so is can cut inside from the left and shoot with his right, which is why he’s mainly been played there for Werder or through the middle. And so, he might not be the best fit playing as Mohamed Salah‘s back-up.
He’s good through the middle and on the left and can play on the right- while boasting good numbers for doing the things Liverpool like to do. He might not be a bad signing after all.