Liverpool have fallen effectively under the anticipated requirements this season, and now face an uphill battle to reassert their place and problem for main silverware after almost going all the best way final time period.
Indeed, clinching the FA Cup and Carabao Cup, shedding the Champions League ultimate, and falling agonisingly brief in the title race to Manchester City on the ultimate day of the league marketing campaign.
The impact of such a relentless and taxing marketing campaign have certainly been felt, with Jurgen Klopp’s Reds now sixth in the league and 7 factors adrift of Manchester United in fourth place, and it’s completely paramount to the Merseyside outfit’s success that efficient reinforcements are acquired through the ongoing January switch window.
And now, in response to 90min, Fiorentina’s Nikola Milenkovic is among the many defensive targets highlighted to bolster the fold, and a transfer may very well be issued in the approaching weeks.
The £91k-per-week titan’s signature may very well be thought-about a far shrewder funding than the likes of Jude Bellingham and Enzo Fernandez; two high-profile names touted with a transfer to Anfield throughout current weeks.
Time to ditch Gomez?
The 25-year-old Serbian has made 17 appearances throughout all competitions this season for La Viola, scoring two objectives and registering one help from his defensive duties on the coronary heart of the defence.
And having made 189 showings throughout all competitions for the Italian Serie A aspect since his arrival from homeland outfit Partizan Belgrade in 2017, the dynamic defender’s affect and aptitude has been nurtured, now refined and on a pedestal that enables his identify to rightfully fly on the very high of the switch hearsay mill.
As per FBref, the £44m-rated star ranks throughout the high 13% of defenders throughout Europe’s high 5 leagues for shot-creating actions and the highest 14% for aerials gained, highlighting his imposing presence and skill to instigate optimistic play from the foot of the sector, one thing that may entice Klopp as he assesses his choices in the present market.
And, as per Sofascore, together with his common ranking at 7.03 in the league and 6.87 on the 2022 World Cup with Serbia, there’s a stage of consistency that has considerably evaded Liverpool’s backline this season, with the 22 objectives shipped this time period solely 4 under final season’s whole tally of 26, with the Reds but to conclude the primary part of the marketing campaign.
Will Liverpool get top-four this season?
Yes
No
Able to flourish each as a central defender and a right-back, the “beast” Milenkovic, as as soon as dubbed by Partizan coach Ivan Tomic, can be a welcome upgrade on Joe Gomez, who been the supply of criticism on a number of events this season, making an error resulting in a objective and conceding a penalty throughout his 9 begins in the Premier League.
It’s additionally price noting Gomez’s in depth injury record, hampering his progress and his supervisor’s confidence in his capability to keep up a daily beginning berth in the squad.
While the 25-year-old England worldwide remains to be a stable, versatile choice for his supervisor, however somebody of the “fearless” – once more lauded by Tomic – Milenkovic’s ilk, displaying the reassurance and composure to flourish as a daily first-team starter in Klopp’s system, may bolster the defensive ranks and function the catalyst for change.
At current, Gomez doesn’t seem like that man.